Post-Spring Break! Quick Class Updates

Spring break is over! And I am surrounded by beautiful sunshine and warm weather and piles of so much homework (but surprisingly little snow). All I want to do is hang out on the green with the hundreds of other Clark students who, it appears, have finally emerged from winter hibernation and are, as I type, likely playing Frisbee. Alas. Homework prevails.

Over the break I spent time in Portland (Maine!), where I hung out with cats and pals and successfully completed a portion of the interview project for Women in Society. I interviewed two women of two different generations regarding their experiences with age and ageism. The interviews were successful, thanks to lovely participants, and this week I will transcribe the interviews, and then hopefully write the paper this weekend (the class received an extension on the due date! Great things).

For Lab in Social Psychology, we are still in the process of data collection. At some point this week I hope to have time to collect the majority of the data, if not all of it. Soon we will have drafts of our introductions and methods sections due, and then we will have to start the process of data entry and conclusion-gathering. I have thus far found one article to aid in my literature review, but am still on the look-out for more.

Right before Spring Break began, each student turned in a research proposal to the professor for our final papers in Women in Jewish Culture. I am hoping to write about feminist midrash, but will not know until sometime this week if my proposal has been approved.

And for my independent study/capstone for Jewish Studies, I have looked through a bit more of the psalms (despite my original discomfort with them) and am looking forward to reading a book that Prof. Fox ordered regarding illness and comfort.

This week will be busy (I have a pal visiting! + homework and things), but I will try to keep updating on my courses. This Friday is a senior event: the "2012 Hours Till Graduation" dance, which is exciting. Also beginning this week is a Clark play called "Pooter McGraw is Not Dead Party", which is also exciting. And on Friday, CUFS will be screening a documentary regarding suicide at 9pm in Jefferson 320.

I hope everyone is enjoying the lovely weather! To contrast Worcester's recent warmth, here's a photo of the snow in a cemetery in Portland through which I strolled only days ago.

Spring Break! Woo.

So, it's nearly Spring Break. And... we just had a lovely snowfall yesterday. Oh, weather, you're so confused.

Happy belated Leap Day! Clark hosted a LEEP (Liberal Education and Effective Practice) event on February 29th - judging from the facebook photos posted of students leaping on LEEP Day, I'd say it was successful. I was unable to attend, but have heard good things from those who were able to go.

Things are more or less calming down for week; I have one more class to attend (Women in Society), a brief meeting with my professor to discuss my preferred topic for the interview project, and then I'm finished! Well, a bit of packing and deciding on which bits of homework to bring home, and then it's Maine & cats until the 10th.

I hope that everyone has a lovely Spring Break!

Women, Aging, and Ageism

As a part of Women in Society, each student is required to conduct two interviews with two women of different generations. The interviews must share in common a specific focus; something based on one of the fourteen topics of study we've covered thus far in the course.

Last week I was struggling with which topic I'd choose as a focus, but after engaging in class-time related to our most recent topic - women in midlife and aging - I'm feeling good about the interviews.

Here are some thoughts gathered from my readings related to women, aging and ageism:

Historically, women's value has been based mainly on reproductive ability. Whereas in contrast, men's status could be attributed to achievements, money, or power. Because women are evaluated throughout their lifetimes by their bodies, it can be particularly frustrating and challenging for women to live in an aging body.

Messages in our society suggest that being old is a negative experience, from jokes to media portrayals. Women are no longer sexual past a certain age, and when they are portrayed as such, it is seen as a humorous because it deviates from the perceived norm of what it means to be elderly.

Traditionally all forms of mass media excluded older women, and when they were portrayed, they were stereotyped as an evil mother-in-law (Sex and the City's Bunny, + a smattering of Disney characters), a manipulative and selfish elderly mother (The Sopranos' Livia), or a powerless "little old lady". Even more recent portrayals of older women in media, like Hot in Cleveland, still utilize comedy in order to portray older women's sexuality and lifestyle choices which differ from the perceived norm; these things are not normative enough to portray as simply something that just happens (like a non-comedic sex scene between younger folks).

The effects of negative stereotypes concerning elderly folks have been seen in studies. Hausdorff, Levy, & Wei's (1999) study displayed such effects. Participants with ages ranging from sixty-three to eighty-two played a video game which exposed them to either positive or negative stereotypes about elderly folks. Before and after the game, their speed and manner of walking was measured. Those who played the games with positive stereotypes walked faster and more energetically, "suggesting that the slower gait of older people may be partly due to internalized stereotypes and not entirely to the physical changes of aging".

Women often engage in creating distinctions between self identities (subjective feelings of age) and social identities (the manner in which she appears to others) because to emphasize distance between oneself and the "typical" elderly person creates distance between the perceived self and the concept of the deteriorating and decrepit elderly member of society.

But what does it mean to feel a certain age? And why are we so afraid of growing old?

We watched a movie in class, Acting our Age, which presented a number of women's perspectives on growing older. One woman in particular said something about how folks will say to her, as a compliment, "oh, you look great for seventy-five!", because implicitly, in our society, it is something of a misfortune to look old.

But! Why? Why is it so terrifying to claim age, to embrace wrinkles, to get rid of the medicalization of menopause, and to stop fighting a war against our bodies and the naturally occurring biological process of aging?

Acting our Age portrayed many women's concerns about taking care of husbands, husbands or friends dying, or reclaiming identity at an older age. However, as a classmate of mine pointed out, only one woman in the film suggested fear of her own death, and only in the context of having realized her own mortality following the death of a friend. So as a society we're afraid of and repulsed by growing older, and yet possibly the scariest aspect of growing older, the inevitability of death, is not clearly present to most folks?

There are so many topics regarding elderly folks and plights within society, I could type words about it forever. But I will not, and am instead just really excited to interview two women about their experiences with aging and ageism.

I know that I've posted a link to this previously, but I really enjoyed Young@Heart, a film watched during my COPACE (On Death & Dying) course last semester.

So, click here to see the Young@Heart Chorus' version of the Talking Head's "Road to Nowhere". It's swell.

Independent Study Update & Tidbits

Yesterday I was able to meet with Prof. Fox regarding my independent study/Jewish Studies capstone, and now I officially have a focus for my paper! Hooray.

I will be writing first of the Bible and midrash and their suggested views regarding illness, visiting the sick, and other such practices. And then I will contrast those ideas with more modern psychological (and likely some religious) texts regarding pastoral care.

This is exciting. Before, I was reading through the stacks of books that Prof. Fox had given me, and finding tidbits interesting, but having no notion of what I would possibly focus my final paper on.

Here are some of my tidbits of interest:
Anne Brener, in her book Mourning & Mitzvah, wrote of how people are able to find comfort through Jewish rituals because these are embedded with universal truths about the needs of people in tradition. This struck me because I had previously struggled concerning religious rituals, wondering if they lack applicability to those who not believe in God. I appreciate her distinction regarding Jewish rituals as a manner in which to find comfort, and to build a context in which one is able to stay during this time of difficult transition.

In Jewish Relational Care A-Z, Jack H. Bloom wrote an essay regarding language; more specifically, language as it defines our own personal realities, and ways in which to build rapport (as a pastoral care worker) while visiting with the infirm (he mentions normalizing other people's experiences through acceptance and respect, while keeping in mind the person's individual background). His article was interesting to me because I have been recently pondering how one would go into a pastoral care situation feeling prepared to discuss tough topics with folks - I don't think that his article is the end-all-be-all of proper language usage in these situations, but it was an interesting beginning in starting to read about such things.

In Jewish Reflections on Death, Daniel Jeremy Silver wrote an essay entitled "The Right to Die?". I was drawn to this article because this is a topic that I have struggled with in the past - last semester I wrote a final paper for my COPACE (On Death & Dying) course regarding suicide and an individual's right to die versus overall implications for society. Albeit informative, his article didn't deal with suicide and other such end of life issues, so much as it dealt with Jewish reflections on mitigating pain while not sanctioning euthanasia. He personally defined death as "departure of the soul", with the soul being made up of personality, control, individuality, capacity, and awareness. I'm still unsure how I would personally define death (ad hoc committee of Harvard University criteria?), but I am 100% against extending life if it is being done only to assuage guilt. Of course, our reasoning for keeping folks going are never so simply stated.

On other notes (unrelated to death/illness/mourning), I've begun collecting data for my Lab in Social Psych! Hooray. Three participants down, a billion more to go (not really, but neeearly).

I'm going to finish up a bit of reading for my Women in Society class, so I will end here. I hope that everyone has a lovely weekend!

Exciting Events! And Brief Updates

Hello, Internet! It has been a while. Well, a week. But many exciting things have happened since then! Things like:
Clark University's own Vagina Monologues!
"Vapor, Liquid, Snow, Solid" (a play), presented by CUPS & PARADOX!
A performance by the Peapod Squad!
A Community Youth Art Show, presented by Fiat Lux!
A performance in Razzo Hall by Karen Discoll called "Women on the Edge"!

And also I've been a bit sick! I lost my voice for a bit, but it has returned in full (I was hoping it would come back sounding like 1. Tim Curry, 2. Marina Diamandis, or 3. Morgan Freeman. Oh well. There's always hope for next time).

Today I spent a bit of time in the library, reading about death and mourning and more death, for my Jewish Studies independent study. I'm still struggling with finding a focus for my paper, specifically if I should examine pastoral care and pre-death care (such as helping folks when they are ill), or if I would rather look into post-death care, like counseling or funeral-type things. Maybe it's just all the "Six Feet Under" that I've been watching, but I am now considering funeral home work post-Clark.

And I have successfully completed one midterm exam, for Women in Jewish Culture! On Tuesday I got to write a lot about images of women in the Hebrew Bible, which was the best in-class-exam-prompt ever.

Today I am generally lacking in insightful comments regarding my classes, so I will end here. Until next time!

Ideals & Expectations for Jewish Women in Medieval Ashkenaz

It's Wednesday! And, oh, what a Wednesday it is.

Yesterday I attended my three Tuesday classes (Lab in Social Psych, Women in Jewish Culture, & Women in Society). The lab was full of its usual bizarre/goofy 9am occurrences, made sillier by the addition of donuts and orange juice (my professor's Valentine's day treat. Later in the evening I enjoyed a gluten free/egg free/dairy free/corn free (etc) cake to make up for my lack of ability to consume donuts. Anyway)

Much of Women in Jewish Culture yesterday was spent discussing ideals & expectations of women in Medieval Ashkenaz. Here's what it boils down to:
1. women must sew, spin, and weave (clothing, in addition to fringes and Torah scrolls)
2. women must enable their husbands and sons to study
3. women must marry at a young age and have many babies
4. women must be modest
5. women must maintain ritual purity

We read through commentaries, epitaphs, and a bit of the Sefer Hasidim to glean from the words some ideals for women. This one was my favorite:

"A certain man, leaving on a journey, told his wife: 'On such and such a day, I shall return and be with you.' The woman, knowing the time of her husband's return, prepared for his return by going to the ritual bath. Her husband thereupon said to her: 'Since you bathed in anticipation of my return, I shall present you with a gold piece with which to buy a garment.' The woman replied: 'Allow me, with that gold piece, to purchase a book or to hire a scribe to copy a book for lending to students, enabling them to pursue their studies.' Subsequently the woman became pregnant and gave birth to a boy. While all of the brothers of the boy were devoid of learning, that boy himself was the exception."

Isn't it great? The woman is ideal because she
1. prepares for her husband's return by going to the ritual bath (performing ritual purity)
and then her husband gifts her a gold piece, and rather than being greedy or superficial she chooses to spend her newly acquired wealth by
2. enabling (male, it can be assumed) students to study! What a gal.
And then she is further praised and gives birth to not-only-just-a-boy, but a learned boy! Whee.

In class we discussed the extent to which Gluckel of Hameln met these traditional expectations. First of all, she married at a young age (twelve) and had many children (FOURTEEN). Secondly, she certainly enabled her husband to pray/fast/study, by otherwise taking care of her household. However, her reality was different from these ideals & expectations in that she maintained with her husband a marriage likened to a partnership. Unlike what I gather from the suggestions of these expectations, Gluckel was unique in that she maintained mutuality in her marriage and she took part in her husband's business decisions. Her relationship with him was more complicated than a female role of enabling study; their relationship could be interpreted as more respectful, and more equal.

Another way in which Gluckel appears to be unique is seen through mention of her and (one of) her daughter's regular attendance at the synagogue; this would suggest ritual observance extended beyond the private realm. And public ritual observance for women would seem rather unusual for the time period.

Gluckel was also unique in that she clearly was of a wealthy background - beyond her being learned and literate, her memoirs mention wealth from her family, and additionally from her husbands (though, she remarries after her first husband dies in part to help provide relief from financial burden). But it's significant to take into account that the memoirs of the literate (and thus more wealthy) are those that we have to examine; and their experiences likely differed from those folks with less wealth.

Which moves into the realm of Women in Society, in which the intersections of race/class/gender/ethnicity are frequently mentioned. ! Overlaps are the best.

And now it is time for some readings regarding pastoral care.

Here's Donny Osmond and Rosie O'Donnell serenading Mork and Mindy.

Monday Avoidance of Homework

Today I participated in a quick undergrad-run study for the psych department, and have since then been avoiding my homework by looking through my music library to pick songs for The Omelette Factory's first ROCU show of the semester tomorrow evening. One of our hosts, Heather, will be unable to join us (she has rehearsals for the Clark Vagina Monologues all this week), but you can join Mike and me as we complain about love and other such nauseating things during our Anti-Love We Despise Valentine's Day Special.

In order to avoid homework further, I also spent a bit of my time today working on a short story for the English department's annual poetry/short story/drama/essay contest. I have yet to enter, and it's my last chance to do so (graduationgraduationgraduation)!

Tonight there is a talk, funded by the Office of Student Leadership & Programming, Black Student Union, and a number of other Clark organizations. It's called "Black is... Complicated", and is being presented by Melissa Harris-Perry. I'm a bit bummed to be missing it, but I am scheduled to screen (not one, but!) two movies this evening for SCRN 120. I shall spend some of my time at work examining a few of my readings for classes tomorrow. I have four articles related to linguistics to read for Women in Society, some Gluckel of Hameln review to do for Women in Jewish Culture, and I need to add the finishing touches to my method's section draft for Lab in Social Psych. Additionally, I'm still looking through the copious amounts of books that Prof. Fox has lent to me for my Jewish Studies capstone/independent study. I'll hopefully be posting some relevant/interesting information from my class readings this week.

That's all for now! Happy (almost) Valentine's Day!