What does my weekend say about me?

Over the last few days, a both novel and common sense thought struck me: The activities that people engage in on a day-to-day basis, and maybe, more particularly, on their "days off," can tell us a lot about those people--what socio-economic rung they're in, what gender they identify with, what's important to them, and so on.  I know, I know--like I said--it seems like a common sense concept.  But I think what really got me thinking about it in a critical way was the group project I had my students do last week: I split them up into five groups.  Each group was given a magazine to analyze--to look for demographical indicators in ads, stories, and design.  At the end of about ten or fifteen minutes, each group had to describe the target demographic of the magazine, and construct a stereotypical person that would fit into that demographic.  Then, after every group was done, I had them play a guessing game: Which of the five magazines (Better Homes and Gardens, Game Informer, Wired, OUT, and Marie Claire) did not belong to me? (note: I borrowed 75% of this assignment from the NCA's "Assign This").  My (albeit, new) teaching instincts made it clear that the exercise got my students' heads a-turnin'.  And it got mine a-turnin', too.

So, what follows is a pretty standard "No, I Am a Cat" post: Some pictures and a bit of text underneath each picture to explain it.  But here's my challenge--one that will, I think, be fun for both people that know me well, and people that do not: Look at my pictures.  Read my text.  Then think: What do the things I did this weekend say about me?  About my socio-economic level? About my education level? About what I think is important? And so on.

Friday

Jake and I spent Friday night in: Doing homework (reading reading reading), listening to Crystal Castles, eating Papa Murphy's pizza, watching The Daily Show, and drinking Schell's Oktoberfest and Woodchuck Cider's Fall release.  If you've never experienced the latter, I suggest you haul ass to the nearest liquor store and pick some up.  It sells out very quickly, and for good reason--it legitimately tastes like you would think fall would taste, if it had a taste.  It mixes cinnamon, nutmeg, white oak and is honestly the best-tasting drink I've ever had.

Elmo, Devi's family's dog, who stayed at our house for the week.  He's old, arthritic, and incredibly spoiled, so he gets away with a lot, and the entire time Jake and I were eating, he kept sticking his face through the hole between our armpits and our bodies trying to sneak a taste.

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Saturday


I've been to the Minnesota Renaissance Festival about a dozen times before, but this year was the first year I dressed up in costume for it.  Lily lent me her green tunic (I wore a brown long-sleeve shirt as a base layer, a mustard yellow tunic under the green sleeveless tunic, knee-high brown boots, brown leggings, and a brown satchel), Alan's costume was ridiculously awesome (and hand-made, of course!), and Lily worked at the Fest, playing trumpet during jousts.  Lily even invited us up to the secret upstairs of one of the pottery shops, from which we dropped a fake spider down in front of people.  We had good beer, mead, and oh-so-fatty-and-delicious cheese curds.  I bought a mug, too, as a thanks to the pottery shop people for letting us go into their upstairs and drink their beer for free.  Jake didn't dress up, but this year was his first year attending, so it's OK.  He said "thank you" to me (I bought us our tickets as a date) for about four hours straight, and he welcomed the idea of going again next year, and dressing up, so, needless to say, I think he had fun.

Jake and I did a bit more homework when we got home, and immediately after my homework (though, honestly, my homework never actually ends--I just stop doing it for the night), I played around on Pottermore (I finally got my wand and got sorted!  I'm in Gryffindor!...wait what? Is this just because I'm ballsy?).  Then, later that night, Jake and I busted out my new (to-me) copy of Ico, the precursor (but spiritual sequel) to The Shadow of the Colossus, one of Jake's and my favorite games.

Ico

Sunday

I did homework most of the day, but I took a study break mid-afternoon/evening to make a run to the Seward Co-op, pick up some yummy fresh, organic fruits and veggies (and a new box of tea--this one to help me with my mystery respiratory/heart problem), and home-make some chili and applesauce bread (with added raisins and walnuts) for dinner.  Both dishes were a big hit, and Jake sure appreciated them after his three-hour Sunday class with Augsburg's Dean of the College.

Sunday night, I played with Humbert for a little bit (I think he's actually growing to like being pet!), and did my Japanese homework (a 100+ character essay--I wrote mine on the classes I'm taking this semester).

Jake drew a smiley face on my nose

Hall

Kant

That's all for now.  Enjoy my little challenge to you, peeps!  And don't hesitate to ask the same questions about yourselves--what do your activities, the places you go, the people you meet with, the things you eat, say about you?