This is not my beautiful house! This is not my beautiful wife!

[altariel]

This piece in today's Guardian, The way of the PhDiva, seems to me to be (unintentionally? Help, I can't tell!) hilarious. Opening sentence: "I have been near Cannes for the film festival and reading Vanity Fair."

Hmm: "I nipped round to Tescos for a cornish pasty and have been reading Georgette Heyer."

I seem to be having tremendous difficulty with my lifestyle...

Comments

[communicator.livejournal.com]

What a ghastly pampered twerp she is

[altariel.livejournal.com]

As I read on I thought, "This has got to be a send-up..." but I'm honestly not sure!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Poking around the web to find out a bit more about her, it appears to be entirely serious.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I wonder if it's published to be controversial.

[communicator.livejournal.com]

I think she's for real, even down to 'writing work gets offered to men because women aren't confrontational' slipping effortlessly into 'these women don't get offered writing work because they are too confrontational' within the same paragraph. I have seldom been so annoyed by a Guardian article.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I was quietly pleased that the Vanity Fair she was reading turned out not to be the book but the comic.

[glitterboy1.livejournal.com]

What does it say about me that my first assumption was it was the magazine? They don't come any lower brow than me.

I have to admit that I found the article less funny than enraging.

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

I thought of the magazine first, too.

[(Anonymous)]

(Katlinel at work)

I'm pretty sure that this is just the perfect LJ post because it does encapsulate everything.

I seem to be having tremendous difficulty with my lifestyle...

I hope you ran a sweep for freak wormholes before typing that statement.

And as for the article, I saw that too and got Charlene's 'Never Been To Me' as an earworm.

I hope you enjoyed your pasty.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I hope you ran a sweep for freak wormholes before typing that statement.

Oops...


And as for the article, I saw that too and got Charlene's 'Never Been To Me' as an earworm.

LOL, perfect!

[gfk88.livejournal.com]

As someone with a number of academic qualifications myself, I can advise you that I think in my opinion where you are going wrong is (i) that you don't draw attention to your PhD often enough and (b) you can write in proper sentences that people, both women and men and even those without higher academic achievements unlike me, can understand.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Darn those proper sentences to heck! I knew they'd hold me back!

[matildabj.livejournal.com]

*giggles*

Excellent summing-up of the problem, I'd say.

[fictualities.livejournal.com]

So according to this article, women don't get to write op-ed articles because they don't like to express strong opinions, and yet at the same time --

As an Anglicised American, I also find it difficult to understand Prof Estrich's all-out attack, as represented in various articles. You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, so I take a different approach to life.

That's male hegemony right there, enshrined in an admittedly rather feeble brain and twisting it into a little hairball of unacknowledged self-hatred. Good grief.

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

What a peculiar ramble (I hesitate to call it an article)!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

It's weird, isn't it, like her id was in control of the keyboard or something.

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

Yes, that was one of my problems with it. I really, really didn't understand the structure of what she was trying to say. Ramble is the word. I wondered if she'd cut and pasted random diary entries.

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

If it isn't a pisstake, I'm staggered the Guardian published it.

[iainjcoleman.livejournal.com]

I nipped round to Tescos for a cornish pasty

In your Manolo Blahniks, I trust.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Darling, how else?

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

I prefer Jimmy Choos, but then I've only got a MSc, so what would I know.

[forodwaith.livejournal.com]

I seem to be having tremendous difficulty with my lifestyle...
But you're a glamorous doctorate-holder!

WTF is the point of that 'article'? I remain confused as to whether it was flies, vinegar, Ted Kennedy, or cervical cancer.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

So far as I can make out, I think the article was about how utterly smashing its author is.

[oursin.livejournal.com]

Eeeeeeuw, what a nitwit. How can she have a PhD when she can't write a coherent focussed short column? I can only assume she got one in advanced eyelash batting and girly simpering.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I can only assume she got one in advanced eyelash batting and girly simpering.

Possibly from this fine academic institution.

[hafren.livejournal.com]

At the beginning of May, I was in Venice to celebrate my birthday and to look at some material in the Archaeological Museum. One evening we saw Ted Kennedy in a restaurant,

As you do.... That woman is insufferable! Plus she then went and schmoozed the gin-sodden old lecher, instead of finding someone interesting to talk to (mind you, they wouldn't, would they, if they were interesting?)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

That was one of the bits that made me think that it was a piss-take. I think I may have read a PJ O'Rourke column once that was exactly like that - only not serious.

[applegnat.livejournal.com]

Uh. "Wiles not whining." Just a small step from there to "well, we're more at home in the kitchen ANYWAY omg!!!!"

I seem to be having tremendous difficulty with my lifestyle...

Tell me about it. But it's okay. Item: I'm still listening to Prince covers. Or should those be Songs Formerly By The Artist Formerly Known As Prince.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Songs Formerly By The Artist Formerly Known As Prince.

Love it.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

That's got to be a joke. Does this person exist? If so, I want to punch her brilliant and beautiful face into an unfashionable pulp.

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

Nah, just wait, someone that stupid'll trip over her Manolo Blahniks and pulp her own face.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

One can live in hope. That creature is a waste of skin.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I thought it was a joke too, but apparently it's entirely for real.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

[shudders] What's her PhD in, social climbing? Is there anywhere one can leave comments?

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I don't think there's anywhere to leave comments; I guess you could always email the paper.

[manna]

I know that I'm probably letting The Sisterhood down here, but I really want to cut her heart out with a spoon.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I'd move quick if I were you, I think we're starting to run out of cutlery round here. There might still be a couple of grapefruit knives still in the drawer.

[manna]

That's okay. I work in a lab. I can stock up on implements there.

[mgkellner.livejournal.com]

What an interesting article. First, I think she raises the false dichotomy that women have to choose between being super-bitch and Barbie. My own observation is that people do best by being themselves, and as in most things, steering a middle couse, treating people as you would wish to be treated, and putting forth reasoned arguments for reasonable requests works best.

Also, I don't think the author is all that familiar with "Professor Estritch", or Michael Kinsley, or their relationship. Susan is not just some obscure professor of law. She is one of the major back room leaders of the Democratic Party, and was the boss of Fritz Mondale's Presidential Campaign in 1984. She lost, but Bill Clinton with Jesus as his manager would have lost to Reagan in 84. She deserves high marks for taking on a hopeless task, and giving it her all.

Kinsley was the host of Crossfire for many years. Crossfire is the original US raving loony political confrontation show. I think they bolt the chairs to the floor so the guests and hosts won't hit each other over the head with them, and don't allow sharp objects on the set. Susan was a regular guest, and occasional guest host. She is a regular on similar shows to this day. She made the rounds yesterday discussing the filibuster deal. That she writes Kinsley nasty letters, and then publishes the exchange is typical for the crowd she operates in. Wacking people over the head with an oar to start the debate is just one of the things that makes Susan Estritch so loveable, and why she gets invited on those shows.

I am sure the advice is well intentioned, but Susan is one of those people who could call the White House and get to talk to the President, so I am not sure if she needs a whole lot of advice on how to succeed in her chosen field at this point.

I may not have a PhD in anything, but I do know enough not to advise senior British politicians on how to conduct themselves, given that I don't even know who the major players are.

I love the Ted Kennedy bit. Of course Ted was nice to her. Ted is always nice to good looking young women. Years ago, I worked in a law office as their computer expert. There was a young woman lawyer there who was quite attractive. She told me a story that while she was in college, she visited Washington one summer. She and a friend took a tour of the Senate office building. They somehow ended up in Teddy's office, and the secretary ushered them right in to meet the Senator. Teddy apologized that he couldn't invite them out to dinner, but he had things to do that evening, offered them free tickets to plays or concerts while they were in Washington, which they declined. She said she felt uncomnfortable, like this guy old enough to be her grandfather was hitting on them both. No kidding? Teddy?

mk

[manna]

Susan is one of those people who could call the White House and get to talk to the President.

And, oh, to be a fly on the wall for that conversation...

("I'm sorry, Mr President, I don't *have* any smaller words to use.")

[altariel.livejournal.com]

All that extra detail on those is fascinating - thank you! I wouldn't have known Kinsley or Estrich from Adam and Eve.


I do know enough not to advise senior British politicians on how to conduct themselves

Our very own George Galloway does not have such scruples!

[mgkellner.livejournal.com]

Prof Estritch's Blog

I just read her Bio. It was the Dukakis campaign in 88, another guaranteed loser. I should never rely on my memory.

Galloway was great theater. The Senate needs to have a few "Guests" who don't bow and and scrape, if just to see the shocked looks on the esteemed gentlemen's faces. As ususal, there were those who cheered, and others who jeered. US politics is more like a football riot than real debate these days. He fit right in. He would make a great host on Crossfire if he loses his seat.

mk

[trixieleitz]

What everyone else said. And also, gah.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Yes indeed.

[gair.livejournal.com]

I have seldom been so annoyed by a Guardian article

[cheerfully] I have, every week - I read the Weekly Guardian, which doesn't annoy me very often because they mostly only keep the news in, and then the Saturday Guardian, which sends me into paroxysms of rage every Saturday. But this was quite extraordinary. I think my favourite bit, apart from the stuff everyone else has mentioned, was where the whole article was her slagging off other women ("If this is the sisterhood, I want to be a man", the Estrich-bashing, etc) on the grounds that she was more supportive to other women than they were. Head spinning now.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Not related to this, but I gave up on my library tracking down the other Francesca Lia Block books and finally read Missing Angel Juan and Baby Be Bop. I felt that her style didn't work in her favour; it worked to the disadvantage of Missing Angel Juan, but I really liked Baby Be Bop. Thank you for the rec!

[parthenia14.livejournal.com]

I wandered over to find sonic bananas but got sucked into the PhDiva..

We wear Manolo Blahniks but we also have doctorates

*sprays screen with tea*

Let's see:
we wear Birkenstocks but we also have MBAs
we eat mice but we also have MScs
we wear Florence and Fred but we also have GCSEs

But what was the point of the article?? Just to make people feel jealous and a tiny bit confused??
What a very strange article.

Personally, i'm a Ph.Dork, but hey.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

we wear Birkenstocks but we also have MBAs
we eat mice but we also have MScs
we wear Florence and Fred but we also have GCSEs

:-D It's like one of those irregular verbs, isn't it?


But what was the point of the article?? Just to make people feel jealous and a tiny bit confused??

Also to make its author feel better about herself, I think.