Oh hey July, where you goin?

Do you ever find, in the reading of a number of novels or stories or poems in close succession, that there is a theme you can't escape? I remember my roommate putting down God of Small Things and, despite our mutual affection for the book, sneering "Again with the incest? Really?" Recently, for me, it's been all miscarriage all the time. It's popping up everywhere and boy is it depressing, because I know my family medical history and I know enough math to not like my odds. It's an odd thing to read next to the news, as well, where we have plenty to worry about on the Abortion Rights front. To hold both things in ones head simultaneously: the necessary right to abort for any and every reason, and the desperate desire to stop the pain of women losing children, is very difficult. Enough with the cognitive dissonance, I'm ready for a new season of Project Runway or something, get me talking about concrete things again.

As for the life of Dinah Fay, things are slowly picking up. I got a neat internship with CURE, a small nonprofit which raises money for epilepsy research. It's a small office to I get to be a fly on the wall and see what these people do all day, while doing menial work for them, which is just fine. Better than just fine. I am productive and around folks who know what they're doing and I get to be helpful, so really it is great minus the fact that there's no money, but whatcha gonna do.

Other than that, the goal has been to get at least two things done every day. This doesn't sound like much, especially when things that count include "update the blog" and "change the cat litter" and "get out of the apartment," but really it's a vast improvement. This summer is floating by pleasantly, and I don't feel obliged to make it do more than it is. I am seeing friends, devouring books, exploring the city a little bit at a time. I think this is what a life not in the arts looks like, despite the fact that in the real world people work more. I sort of like it.

Also, call your senators. Especially if they are Repubs. They're threatening to filibuster the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act this week, which is some bullshit. If you like getting paid for the work you do, this might be a piece of legislation you should defend.