Tag Archives: Social Experiment

Emotional Development

And social, if not human development… but the point is I saw this and wanted to share it with all of you. Very interesting. Especially since most people think – and say – “oh, XYZ happened  when the child was so young it doesn’t really matter/isn’t so bad.” It changes things or perspective from a lot of books too, right?

Anyway, I think it applies to older people too – of course not in the exact same way. But anyway… The Still Face Experiment.

I waver between liking babies, and being creeped out by them. I mean I like playing with toddlers, but I guess my biological clock hasn’t been triggered. If it ever will be. But still – isn’t that interesting? Like… whoa.

Also good thing I’m not a mom/have a baby though because I’d be so tempted to try it. >.> Maybe a few times. I mean, just watching the video when the baby is so distressed made me a bit teary. But once you’re past that it’s just so fascinating! Also, crucial in underlining why every aspect of childhood or personhood is so important.

(International!) Pay It Forward Day!

Hi friends!

I only just learned it’s International Pay It Forward Day. 🙂 So… nothing hugely organized – but, I wanted to ask – is there anything I’m able to do for you?

I asked on twitter too.

If so – just let me know. I’ll do my best.

Did you know about it? Will you try to do anything? (I’m being lazy and staying in…)

Somewhat along those lines… National Make a Difference Day is coming up in the fall – and I always have a Social Media for Social Good fundraiser. I’m still trying to pick a charity. One that does something that matters, is a 501c3 (at least in the states), is well run, and ideally, international. If you’ve got suggestions I’d love to hear them.

Also – I know charities can send a lot of mail. Like a lot of solicitations. I’ve gotten so much mail from Save the Children, from last year and previous years. And other organizations. (I’m sorry about that.) I wanted to know then – if I started a collection on paypal or something – would you be more or less interested in donating? (That way you wouldn’t get the email/paper mail solicitations.) Paypal would take a slight fee, so it wouldn’t be a 100% donation – and all the other issues, but it would save you the junk mail.

Thoughts?

Books as… Babies O_o? And Giambattista Valli

A few years ago, well, okay, RomCon 2010, there was a panel that was rather controversial. It was… I think about reviewing books? Something like that. But all the talk became all “books are babies.” Apparently it was an author/reviewer panel. I don’t know who the reviewers on the panel were. I do know there were people from SBTB, DA, TGTBTU, and JR at the conferences, and none of them were on that panel. I’m not commenting on the panel, just bringing up an observation someone made to me. I didn’t go to it.

I believe it was actually a (the?) reviewer who said people shouldn’t leave “negative” reviews because books are the author’s babies. I’m gagging a little as I write it. I realize it’s a lot of work to write a book. In fact, at this point in my life I doubt I could write a book, even if I wanted to. (Which I don’t.) While I don’t have any kids… I’m going to say the two – writing a book and giving birth – are not comparable. Authors who have done both, please feel free to jump in here.

I have, however, read a lot of books, reviewed them, beta’d them, and so on. And worked with a lot of kids. Generally not babies, but inner city, at-risk kids, from K-12. (Usually I work with K-5 in whatever setting.) I definitely don’t treat books the same as the “babies.”

Recently, I’ve been seeing a lot of “Happy Book Birthday!” tweets on Tuesday, which is generally when new books are released. This… totally skeeves me out. The whole book = baby, being born thing… *shudders* it kinda turns my stomach.

What are your thoughts? Am I being too sensitive here? I’m really curious as to what your opinion is if you’re a reader. And if you’re an author. If you’re both, mind letting me know under both hats?

I really wish I had an image to share with you. I even googled various phrases searching for such an image, and nothing. (And people, doesn’t the fact that there are no pictures in google images for any of those phrases telling? Stop! Please! So yeah. Now you know how I feel. I didn’t want to share my opinion in the fears it’d color yours, but I can’t help it. I’m also more than fine with you disagreeing with me.)

I know Tessa Dare did an experiment of sorts when that panel happened, and she diapered one of her books and observed. (Heh.) But I’m not going to try to find her twitpic or whatever client she used from ~16 months ago.

Speaking of “social experiments.” I’ve got a favor to ask of you, please. Do you have a Macy’s nearby? Do you ever go to it, or would it be possible for you to go? I want to you go check and see if they’ve got/are carrying the Giambattista Valli collection. Regardless of if they do or not, please let me know your general whereabouts? I’m curious. Here, the one we went to, there was nothing, and the clerks even looked at me beyond blankly.