Bling Bling in the ATL

This is going to be a rambling post.

OK. So I don't really know what the boy does, but something to do with... cultural responses to trauma - so, memorial museums, trials, testimony, etc. The three big cultural responses to trauma in the US, at least, have been... holocaust, vietnam war, and women's lib. So to me, the vagina monologues would be something that he should probably check out at some point. And they're happening this weekend at Agnes Scott.

I'm kinda tempted to go do that, half because people I know are going, half because I feel like I should, at some point, and half because the boy prob won't go unless he's invited and I'm the only feminist crunchy girl he knows. So, I guess we could go, but I have a funny feeling that it would not be fun.

My only knowledge of the Vagina Monologues comes from college. My friend Kris was filming for them, and as I was walking across the green, I crossed over to say hi. He was stopping women and asking them to say, for the camera, what their vagina would say if it could speak. I politely declined and stood with him, behind the camera. I was appalled to watch three or four perfectly normal looking young women stood in front of the camera and say things like, 'my vagina would say LETSS PARTTYYY!!!!' etc. etc. I dunno. It was kind of like the feminist version of Girls Gone Wild. It all seemed rather undignified to me, like puppetry of the penis. As Umbrella would say, grown adult women don't pretend to be a giant talking vagina on film. That sort of stuff is best left to William Burroughs and the 60's.

And why arent they dialogues? What about the Vagina Dialogues, or the Vagina Reflective Listening, or the.. I.. you know, I don't get it. I find the concept to be suspect.

But then I wonder... a million Vaginas can't be wrong. People seem to find this to be a very cathartic, fun thing, and its wildly popular, and whereever I go, the Vagina Monologues seem to follow. Does anyone know what the deal is?

In other news, had training last night - fun fun. We were in the hospital, met with a PTSD therapist, who was a little bit dopey, but whatever. Got a tour of the ER, etc. I love hospitals. I love how ugly and confusing they are, I love how nice everyone is, I love how complicated they are and how everyone puts in the effort to make things run smooth-ish despite mounting chaos, huge communication gaps, etc. etc.

Anyways. I had fun. The layout of the ER was intensely confusing, there were patients everywhere, and I know when I first go there with a survivor to get a rape exam, its gonna be a little daunting, and that over time I'll enjoy knowing who the nice pt. reps are, exactly where the snacks are, exactly where the quiet debriefing room is if s/he needs privacy, exactly where the clothing kits are, the shortest route to the parking lot, etc.

After the hospital, I scoped out decatur center for today's training - we're meeting at the courthouse, talking to the DA, etc. I couldn't find it in the dark, but I think I know where I'm going. Met with exbestfriend in the parking lot of the Thinking Man's Pub to return her pot, book, and umbrella's hat. It was kind of strained and weird. I think she's still terrified of me. Not much I can do about that, I guess... its up to her to realise that she doesn't have to be.

Then the boy came by and we had drinks and banter. The boy is so adorable. I've got trainings this weekend, and next weekend I'm going to Portland, but I'd like to find a little snippet of time to spend with him, do something fun. Probably not going to be the Vagina Monologues, though.