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The Problems with Self-Objectification
I sometimes felt ugly when a few males would make fun of me or not like me. To alleviate these feelings, I tried to change my dress or mannerisms. I objectified my body and felt self-conscious. I noticed other girls did the same, and that stays the same today. Today I know males feel this way too.
By Eileen Davis4 years ago in Blush
A Young Girl’s Heart is Made of a Love So Silly
For many years, my imagination overflowed with sappy scenes full of romantic "high-falluting mumbo jumbo" that I wrote in my stories (Anne of Green Gables). I pictured many kisses, holding hands, and my wedding. It didn't help I read so many sweet romance novels by classic authors like L.M. Montgomery, Louisa May Alcott, Jane Austen, or contemporary authors Jannette Oke and Jack Weyland.
By Eileen Davis4 years ago in Poets
Teaching Children to Communicate One Day at a Time
From a young age, I enjoyed learning about the English, Spanish, Navajo (Dine), and German languages. I could see there was power in the dominant languages and dying languages. Living near the Navajo Nation, I could see grandmothers and grandfathers wanted to share their traditions with their grandchildren who had lost some of those traditions. The grandparents mourned their children (the baby boomer generation) who lost some of the language and traditions at Indian boarding schools.
By Eileen Davis4 years ago in Education
Let's See Ourselves as More Than One-dimensional
Many times we look at ourselves in the mirror and only notice our physical appearance. We pick on one feature we dislike or preen at another feature we like. For me, I focus too much on my obesity. Yet, we often neglect to see ourselves as multidimensional--like a disco ball. We are so much more: our talents, weaknesses, memories, knowledge, thoughts, and feelings. We may take that perspective outward to judge others based on their most obvious characteristic too.
By Eileen Davis4 years ago in Humans
New Mattress, New Job, New Year to Better Sleep
Since my husband started working from home because of the pandemic, I have subconsciously taken advantage of that fact. I know he can tackle the morning routine without me, even if it's half-shod. Midnight used to be staying up late for me on weekdays, but it became 1 am or 2 am during the pandemic. I felt so stressed and wanted downtime--"me" time. Some nights I waited until 3 or 4 am.
By Eileen Davis4 years ago in Longevity
Dear Brother Wright, Thank You for Listening to a Teenager
Dear Brother Frank Wright, One overcast Friday in '95 or '96 I knocked on your creaky door and you answered, hands on your walker. I told you who I was and who my parents were. I had seen you at church on occasion, but you couldn't always attend because you were unable to navigate the stairs of the South Chapel (dubbedBlanding Tabernacle). I knew of you from your son and his wife, who "home taught" my family. I called you Brother Wright because that was the sign of respect used in my Mormon pioneer hometown.
By Eileen Davis4 years ago in Humans
How I Lost and Regained the Sparkle in My Eye
Upon my diagnosis of bipolar 2 at 21, I no longer knew who I was. Everything I had thought about myself shifted through the lens of insanity. For example, I viewed my excessive energy to work 40-50 hours, sing in a choir, perform a play, and attend young adult activities during summer breaks as mania, and moments of anger, irritability, and tears as depression. Were my creativity, brilliance, and spontaneity only a product of mania? Did that mean depression was my "normal"?
By Eileen Davis4 years ago in Psyche
Three Ways to Brighten this Holiday Season
In December 2020, some dubbed the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in the night sky as the “Christmas star” this holiday season. During 2020, we sought meaning from celestial events just as the ancients did. We want the heavens to provide answers for us today. As we seek answers from the heavens, we can also seek answers within to brighten this holiday season. We just need to be more creative during the pandemic.
By Eileen Davis4 years ago in Lifehack
How the Grinch Stole Thanksgiving
Music Schpiel I really think the Grinch stole Thanksgiving and replaced it with Halloween hoopla and early Christmas decorating. Of course, I may be a grinch because I am annoyed with the blaring Christmas music on the radio. It starts November 1 and goes until New Year's. I can't find pop, soft rock, or rock-n-roll on any station. Only the rowdy "Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer" and "Here Comes Santa Claus". Probably the music, in general, turns me off, which is why I prefer only five weeks. We miss out on grateful songs like "For the Beauty of the Earth" or "Thankful" by Kelly Clarkson. Then maybe we can move into the more mellow spirituals, like Amy Grant's 1992 Christmas album, mixed with the rowdy songs after Black Friday.
By Eileen Davis4 years ago in Motivation
A Discussion on Gender Terminology and Language Change
Representative Emanuel Cleaver II opened the 117th Congress session with a controversial end to his prayer: “amen and a woman.” Cleaver meant it as a pun to illustrate the current high number of female members of Congress. His intent seemed good, though his timing seemed sacrilegious and inappropriate to some.
By Eileen Davis4 years ago in The Swamp
