thinking aloud

I play with dolls to escape the reality that I am growing up. I know- I am 28-years-old and should already be grown-up, but I still call my mom crying and fight with my sister like we are in grade school.

I'm learning about working full time, living on less, and being a role model for children. My job as a special-ed teacher aide challenges me: I teach math to third graders (finally am learning my times tables!), the alphabet song to a first grader, and the other day I found myself lecturing on forgiveness to my fifth graders after we watched a movie where a boy in an ice skating race pulled his opponent out of a frozen lake. I asked the kids what they would do if one of their enemies needed their help: "I would jump in the water with him, then push him down as I pulled myself out," "I would take his head and dunk him in and out of the water, over and over," "I would leave him there." You might have found yourself teaching forgiveness too if you were in my situation. For the most part, life is good. I'm glad I'm not 10 years old and that I don't have to ask permission to go to the bathroom.

Bolivia Video

Women working in Bolivia from emily fox on Vimeo.

Written up!

A nice fellow named Parker Smith interviewed me and wrote an article. Read it here!
I should say too that my mom and Erin were interviewed as well and did an excellent job!

Halloween DANCE

This year's theme: wigs.

On the Farm: Missouri

 
Erin and I travelled to Pierce City, Missouri last weekend to film and interview the family of Helen Andelin, author of Fascinating Womanhood. Along with interviewing her son, Brian, we also interviewed the town mortician, Helen's trainer at the YMCA, as well as her banker. Here we are in her house (she passed away last year), interviewing her son Brian.

 An excellent meal of farm raised beef and rice prepared by our excellent host, Brian.

 Helen's little cottage, where we stayed.

  In town.

 Heading home: to jobs, the city, and mountains. It was sad to say goodbye to the beautiful autumn leaves, warm weather, acres of green, and the wonderful Andelin families dotted all over the farm.

Nature/ Nurture exhibit at BYU, etc.

I have a few pieces on exhibit right now as part of the BYU Visual Arts Faith in Works Committee exhibit, Nature and Nurture: Narratives of the Family. As part of the exhibit opening the I participated in a panel discussion in for all the 100 or so visual arts students. I was wedged in between Lee Udall Bennion and Justin Hackworth, with Brian Kershisnik, Chris Thornock, Madison Smith, Lisa Jackson, and Janis Wunderlich at the panel table. It was a historic moment for me, as I was chewing the fat with such successful and amazing LDS artists. It was really fun to be involved in the exhibit and it makes me want to crank some more art out.  

 Cousin Seth came to show his support and to "represent" the fam.

 HFAC

 The after party with E. and R. and Mitchell at Sammy's. I tried a cupcake shake, it was pretty good, but I think I'd rather just eat the cupcake by itself.

This last picture shows an exciting moment as FINALLY I was able to move to an apartment. I transported all my boxes out of storage, unpacked all my things, and made a huge mess. It was like seeing my long lost friends:  pottery from my talented ceramist friends, vintage books, a box labeled "costumes," my kitchen knives, flowery vinyl swim caps, my polka dot cotton sheets. It has been a long summer for me, feeling like a transient. Other people would probably not think it was a big deal to share a bed with your sister in Idaho, sleep in a stuffy cement house in Bolivia, or sleep on a brown couch in Utah that is beginning to sag in the middle with the contours of your bum, but after a while, it really started to wear on me. Hooray for new beginnings!    

Fascinating Womanhood, the documentary

Tonight Erin and I interviewed our neighbor Karen, about the book Fascinating Womanhood, which she read in the 70's. Karen is a wonderful, kind, and an extremely faith filled woman. She prepared us a magnificent dinner, allowed us to interview her, and then to top it all off, she even went swimming with us afterwards. She sent us home with a plate of freshly baked pumpkin muffins, words of encouragement, and a camera reel of excellent interview footage.

I love having a project to work on. Projects fuel me. I realize why I am such a lame grouch lately: I haven't been able to do projects. I think things are about to change for the better!