Where is Sixth Apostle?

If I was a cartoonist, I'd draw some witty pictures. I'm not, so what's with his absence. I really don't approve of this silent treatment. What is he trying to say?

Empty Space

"Interestingly, according to modern astronomers, space is finite. This is a very comforting thought-- particularly for people who can never remember where they have left things." - Woody Allen

A bit of a melancholy day. The painful disengagement process from M. And a reminder that even dysfunctional relationships can fill up space in our lives. And then Mags leaves this week. Empty space does not seem to offer any creative possibilities for the 5M this particular evening. But we know that can change.

Life after Lavalife

So, Lavalife doesn't work. I think the CRTF team showed us that the options just weren't that great. (Although that Italian motorcycle guy in Toronto seemed quite charming.)
So, I picked a blue-collar worker in the "next person for 5M" poll. I recall reading in the paper last year that Ottawa's male government workers were among the most depressed group people in the country. Something about golden handcuffs and the guilt of knowingly wasting all our taxpayer dollars on circular activities that end up nowhere. I think the article went on to say that men in the trades are the happiest group of people.
Now, apparently male blue-collar workers make just as much as male white-collar workers in this country. I don't know the stats on this, but doesn't it seem like these blue-collar types: know how to laugh, have male friends that they do manly things with, tend to love their families, and understand responsibility.
Now, these artist/intellectual types, so many are pansy whiny, insecure, threatened by others, needing to perform one-up-manship. (Male ESI's excluded, you're an atypical bunch) And then, finally, because of their insecurity, ultimately unfaithful.
So: how about a smart, attractive, caring, fit, blue-collar worker, who will adore the 5M for all her intelligence, will be proud, and have time for her to do thesis stuff and general intellectual writing and whatnot because he's out camping with the guys, or playing soccer on Tuesdays? Or maybe fixing the car in the garage?
What about him?

Feminist Sensibilities and Yoga Booty Ballet

1) Feminist Sensibilities

5M tells us that M: "tolerated my feminist sensibilities, even if he didn't agree with them"

In 2005, what sort of man merely merely tolerates feminist sensibilities? Not a confident one, I'm thinking. An informed, confident man should be embracing feminist sensibilities. Freedom and equality and none of this crap about, "well, I wouldn't want a tiny little woman rescuing me from a burning building." You wouldn't, you imbecile? You'd not want a four and a half foot tall 92-year-old rescuing you either, but if I showed up and pulled you out, you'd be damn glad in the end, wouldn't you?

I came across a nice but longish definition of what feminism means to one woman the other day. If you can find anything in there that a person could rightly disagree with, I'd like to know what it is.

Perhaps M and 5M come into conflict on the objectifying women issue. Conchie brought it up the other day referring to the lcp's comments on women in their 20s. She told us: Feminist thought says this is simply the "but I'm the superior one here" types going down with a defiant struggle.

Maybe it would be easier if we chose sex partners the way we chose jobs, apartments or cars. You know, see what the options are, weigh the pluses and minuses, make an offer and see if it's accepted. But instead, there's all this compulsion and the smallest things release all these chemicals and hormones so that we're acting on instinct as much as anything. I have two scientist friends who've been married since 1983 and he says that what hooked him on her was the way the pink pockets on the back of her pants moved when she walked.

While "objectifying" eliminates all manner of qualities of a woman -- her mind, intellect, character, creativity, etc -- it's not all about creating inequality and limiting women's freedom.

2) Yoga Booty Ballet

In the past year or two, the Chair and I have observed that Yoga seems to be the in-exercise for women in Ottawa. Pilates is over. Kick-boxing peaked before it really caught on. Belly dancing got the feminist makeover five or ten years ago, but either Western women couldn't get the gyrations happening or they felt silly in those costumes, I don't know, but it didn't hit the big time.

In the winter, some of the celebrity women on talk shows had started talking about doing aerobic strip-tease. "It's not for the men, it's for us," they'd say, "although my husband does seem to really enjoy it." Several weeks ago, one of my friends happily told me that she and her roommate have started taking Strip -Toning lessons. They're thinking about installing a pole in the rec room to practice on.

(Being the cultural anthropologist that I am, I suggested I should observe a practice or two, but I have not yet gained the necessary trust and confidence of the study population. )

This morning I discovered that some exercise genius has combined yoga and strip tease -- Yoga Booty Ballet. I saw part of an infomercial for it this morning while I ate my breakfast. (I am not making this up.) They've got yoga moves, like upward-facing dog and downward-facing dog. And they've got some aerobic, shake your booty moves.

And they've got moves that combine the two.

One is called "upward-facing beetle". I tried to find a photo of it on Google image search, but I just don't have time to wade through that much porn this morning. It's like a combination of the upward and downward facing dog. Face and booty both up, knees slightly bent and then the pelvis is moved quickly up and down.

Which brings me to my conclusion: The issue of objectification is complicated for many of us men and I hope you women will from time to time cut us some slack.

Don't Worry, I know who I can count on

Hmm, 9 votes and only 6 ESIs on the internet this week. I'm going to assume that only one of my fellow ESIs would let me twist in the wind. And let's just say I've got a good idea of who that would be.

That individual might want to investigate Political Misery Syndrome.

And while I'm giving out links, like a straightforward blogger, here's one that is only for you Coyote. (Seriously folks, you don't want to click on that link.) Normally, I wouldn't give you any encouragement in this direction, but I feel it won't be likely to harm me as you're lying low, laughing in the grass as it were. (Isn't there some other animal known for hanging out in the grass?)