So what is it about being a feminist?

I think I'm a feminist. I'm in a no way a specialist of the sociological details of it and I guess the only definition of it I can give is the one that I have for myself:
-I think women should be given equal opportunities;
-I think both women and men can aspire to combine career and private life, together;
-I think women should not be restricted by other people's preconception of what their role *should*be.

Recently, I became more involved in my country's association of women in science. I had a very interesting discussion yesterday with one of their early members (the association has been going for about 8 years). She was telling me how she wasn't initially aware of the whole "women in science" issue, but that being in the group, she learned about them, why it is important. Now, without being particularly vocal about it, she says she has learned to deal with certain situations and has become aware of a problem she thinks is real.

Monday I had dinner with a very very good friend of mine. She's a young professor and recently divorced with two small children. She's having a tough time with some people in her close family who expect to be more present for the children (she's doing just as well there as the average working mother - let alone on one's own). These people just won't recognize work she has to do to remain on top of things (although they do for her professor brother in law). As I was telling her she should really join the association, she asked me "but aren't feminist a bit against men?". This is definitely not something I can identify to; I tried to explain it to her. But obviously I failed at portraying a more positive aspect of being a feminist. I never really thought, actually, that I might need to explain to her.

Are some of us feminists without knowing it?

Is it not necessary to be a feminist to be aware/concerned of feminist-related issues? Can it be helpful to access such frame of thought?

Still have to work on my stuff I guess.

Evening homework

Last night Husband and I spent a couple of hours filling in visa applications forms for the long stay abroad. How stressful can it be to write your mother's name somewhere?

And we're not finished. We'll I'm not, have one form left. Husband had to list all the countries he went to over the past 10 years, which ended up being way too big for the space allocated, and needing also some research as to what year was what... 

Then we'll have to bring everything to the embassy, after making an appointment. 

Actually it's probably not too bad, because we're both from EU countries and the whole visa application procedure was somewhat shortened thanks to one of the bodies that funds the trip. I dread to think how much more tedious it must be for some other nationalities. Last year I stayed in a lab in a different EU country for three months, and basically just turned up there. 

But hopefully it'll be sorted out soon!

Back!

Hi,
I'm back. We had a fantastic holiday! I did swim in the Atlantic (pictures coming up!). We walked a fair bit, visited two great museums. We had both (local) extremes of weather from horizontal rain to sunshine and blue skye. I did not red as much as I was hoping but the stuff I red was really good.

Now I'm back and it's a bit of a frenzy because we are leaving for the long stay abroad in 6 weeks! More on that to come I suppose.

Holiday!!

We're about to set off for our holiday! I'm quite excited. I suspect I was a bit over optimistic about the weather when I packed... but we'll see.

I brought a big pile of books as well. I want to read loads. And swim in the Atlantic!

Holiday D-2

After much deliberation (read torturing myself), I have decided not to bring my computer along during the holiday. I will probably not have a chance to use it the first week. And the second one, well, I’m sure I’ll keep myself busy too. I *could* work during the holiday (i.e. my slow progress could do with some extra effort)… but my couple and my health could do with two weeks of leisure and sleep. Hopefully I’ll be so well refreshed and in great mental and physical shape that I’ll work really well as soon as I am back. (Ahah. Nothing’s wrong with dreaming!). I am bringing some reading though (ack).

In any case, expect light posting in the coming two weeks. Hope the weather will be good because I firmly intend to swim in the Atlantic!

Items are being crossed off the list:
-sent final data to colleagues on vague project;
-had a great meeting yesterday with colleagues. I look forward to chew on their data;
-now dashing to finish report to sent to Senior Famous Collaborator.

I managed to de-disperse myself by making plans before I got in the office, with a short list of discrete tasks for the day, and I know which one I want to start with. So I directly start working and get on track for the day. It's worked.

And people, please knock on my office door before entering. Thanks.

Holiday D-4

The cupboard and file cabinet I picked from the department upstairs have arrived, been dusted and fixed. For about a week, my office was a mess with loads of boxes and files piled on a table and lots of tings moving around. But I have colleagues visiting from abroad tomorrow, so I thought I really had to tidy things up. It still looks weird to me, possibly because currently from my main sitting place, I can't see as many of my plants as I used to, but that can be arranger. I will soon need to repot a lot of them!

However now, I could conceal a lot of unsighly piles of folders with results listings and such things, and my open shelve is now much neater, with nice rows of book that I will feed with some more stuff I have at home. Other levels have neat binders rows. A bit more work is needed with master theses and things, but I'm almost there.

It's a nice improvement! My office looks maybe a bit more professional... Next, caring for the plants would also make the whole thing look better.

However, the holiday starts on Friday! And until then there are a few threads (see previous posts) that I need to finish up before leaving. And colleagues to meet tomorrow!

Dispersed (again)

After about two weeks of blissful ignorance of the world and concentration on Main Current Research, I find myself dispersed again. I have started working on several different things again, and also been doing a series of boring admin tasks. As a consequence of that, I find it difficult to make good progress and to focus properly on anything. However, before departing for a two weeks holiday (woohoo!) next Friday I have to:
-layout, comment, and send intermediate results of Main Current Research to Senior Famous Collaborator;
-meet foreign colleagues and set up new study;
-put together some last data on vague previous collaboration;
-arrange for summer exams data and communicate them to students.

Hope nothing else falls on my plate until then…

How I miss the time when I could just focus on a limited number of tasks, and when other things to do where a welcome distraction from daily routine. I really need to adapt to constantly switching my brain on and off things; I think I also need to organise research in larger chunks of one same task or topic. The means overcoming the frustration of seeing things temporarily grinding to a halt. But for later better progress…