Thursday, May 22, 2008

We're both tired . ..

Jeanne left this morning, on a 9:45am train to Portland. We both admitted that we were tired and I suspect that Jeanne was more tired than she let on. She said it was okay giving three talks to three different audiences. Most felt that the presentations were very interesting.

I teared up, however, when I showed the students yesterday my blog. I was hoping to get them laughing at the boob jokes, but I had pulled up the post called "My Xeloda by Heather Kenagy" and remembered how touched I was that Heather composed and sang a song about the side effects of Xeloda - that she had done it to make me laugh.

Jeanne and I didn't even get near to finishing our list of things to talk about. I guess that means we'll have to meet up in Seattle sometime soon!

2 comments:

Jeanne said...

Hi Dee--I was really tired, and I know you were too--but it was so worth it to get a chance to talk about these issues. And to have my audience get it!

And speaking to three different audiences was a challenge--a breast cancer support group, an audience mostly from the women's center, and then the anthropologists. A few ideas came out of my talks that I want to follow up on, including finding a way to map (using the correct anthropological conventions) my friendships in the real world and online (which now include some overlaps), and then which of those I am public about my cancer with and which I am not.

I think my "public self" is a cancer patient and my "private self" is not--and that's the reverse of the way most people live with a serious illness.

Dee--you were a fabulous host (even running out each morning to buy me an Americano so that I could stay in my jammies and blog...), and I hope to return the favor in Seattle soon.

Jeanne

Dee said...

Hi Jeanne,
Well, you were an easy-going, low maintenance, and fun guest! I am more tired today than yesterday - I had to get up early to work on the NSF stuff. All I want to do is to stay at home and relax and maybe watch movies this week-end!

When I come up to Seattle, I will try to remember to bring up the stuff for the social network analysis to map your friendships.

I find it interesting that your public self is the cancer patient and the private one isn't. I am pretty open about my cancer in both the private and the public sphere - generally speaking, if I know someone personally, they know I have cancer. I answer questions about it when asked, but if not, my friends and colleagues and I act like I'm me. I guess what I'm saying is that while cancer is part of me, it doesn't define the whole of me. Another big part of me is that I'm an anthropologist. I don't separate my professional anthropologist life from my personal life either. Everything just bleeds into each other for me, I guess. Interesting differences, huh?