#diktyna

It can apparently have quite an impact. Here is where I first heard of it, so I tracked down the article that talked about it, which (can you believe it?) did not contain the name of the researchers or a link to their study! Please, if anyone of you ever writes something referencing research, write down your sources!

The 1970s research in question seems to be this piece by L Hallberg, E Björn-Rasmussen, L Rossander, and R Suwanik: Iron absorption from Southeast Asian diets. II. Role of various factors that might explain low absorption, and specifically here Study V (results p. 6) which concluded that Thai women absorbed 70% more iron when the food studied wasn’t homogenized (read: pureed). Although it is a limited result on a small sample of food type, it raises interesting questions. I could not, in a rapid search, find any more study done to look at that effect, but I didn’t look very far. The study in question was a follow-up to this one, by the way.

Oh, I’m so sorry!

Zane: Tell us a quote that changed your life.

I can’t think of a single quote that changed my life. There have been many written works that have changed my life - notably Bastard Out of Carolina, Mists of Avalon, Woman Hating, and Righteous Porkchop - but I’m going to share my favorite poem. I think about this poem fairly often, even though I read it for the first time in my second year of college in a mandatory poetry course. During that year and the next, I was having a feminist awakening and I credit this poem with being one of the works that gave words and confirmation to my worldview. 

This is “I dreamed I moved among the Elysian fields” by Edna St. Vincent Millay: I dreamed I moved among the Elysian fields,In converse with sweet women long since dead;And out of blossoms which that meadow yieldsI wove a garland for your living head.Danai, that was the vessel for a dayOf golden Jove, I saw, and at her side,Whom Jove the Bull desired and bore away,Europa stood, and the Swan's featherless bride.All these were mortal women, yet all theseAbove the ground had had a god for guest;Freely I walked beside them and at ease,Addressing them, by them again addressed,And marvelled nothing, for remembering you,Wherefore I was among them well I knew. 

If you haven’t studied ancient mythology lately I’ll explain. The Elysian fields are where the virtuous go when they die. The women in the poem, Danai, Europa, and Leda (the swan’s bride) were all raped by Zeus (the ‘god for guest’ part). By putting the women in the Elysian fields she is saying the women were not weak, they were heroes and virtuous. And by saying ‘wherefore I was among them well I knew’ she is saying she knows why she is in the company of these raped women - because the ‘lover’ of the poem is a man who has sexually hurt her. 

Thanks love! Hope you’re doing okay in these hard times < 3. Also disclaimer I’m drinking wine right now to avoid wasting, so I might be a little disjointed or overshare.

12. Are you a “stay in pajamas all day kind"of person?

It depends of the day. Sometimes I wake up and I just want to dress for the day. Sometimes I open my eyes and I’m like “Today I stay in bed”. Sometimes all my clothes are packed and I only kept pajamas out, so pajamas it is by force of things.

13. What time did you go to sleep last night?

A little past midnight. My brother has been giving me manga recommendations that fit insanely well my personality* (I guess he was actually paying attention at some point?) and so I’ve been reading. A lot. RIP depression I guess (not true, but one can hope).

33. Which room in your house do you spend the most time in?

My "house” only has one room that is mine. I do have a bathroom but if you don’t have a bathtub, how are you supposed to spend a lot of time in your bathroom? So most of the time I’m laying on my bed or sitting on the windowsill. 

Gwyneth: When was the last time you cried?

I have no idea. Not really recently? Sometimes I cry to music on the radio when I’m about to have my period but I don’t remember doing so this last time

Ingrid: Talk about one of the best days your life.

I was in Queenstown, New Zealand. In the morning I woke up and drove out to this totally sketch hiking trail (that was little more than a goat path above a ravine where people go bungee jumping) and went hiking for like 7 hours. It was breathtakingly beautiful and warm and sunny. I had the whole trail to myself with the exception of a single cow. I drove back to Queenstown after and stood in line for Fergburger. I got the Sweet Bambi burger to go and took it down to the lake in Queenstown and ate it on the beach. I can’t remember what I ate for dessert but it was probably tiny donuts from a fish and chips stand that I adore. The whole day was just completely beautiful and peaceful and was exactly where I want to be in the world doing what I love. 

Quinn: Look out the window… What do you see?