Dustin Hoffman admission- a victory for women?

Afternoon!

I'm typing this blog entry in my back garden at the moment. The birds are chirping in the trees, the sun is shining and a gentle breeze caresses my hot skin oft and anon. It's truly idyllic here. Feels like I'm on holiday.

So everybody is talking about that Dustin Hoffman video. The one where he gets teary eyed about the way he has automatically avoided unattractive women in the past. He apparently had a revelation about his attitude towards women while filming the movie Tootsie in which he was made over to look like a woman.

But while I think it's great that he is highlighting just how much society focuses on a certain standard of female beauty, I couldn't help but feel rather unmoved by the interview.

I particularly had a difficulty with him saying that he had been "brainwashed" by society. While I admit that society does have a huge role to play in how we think about beauty and what women should look like, I felt that word was somewhat shifting the blame.

He mentions that he would never have even talked to a woman that was not considered conventionally attractive, which I find just unfathomable.

That seems like more of a personal distortion to me, rather than something society has fostered in him.

Women are subjected to the same barrage of images of perfectly toned, and hairless men and yet I don't feel dismissive of men that don't fit that image. I have met, talked to and loved men who do not fit that mold at all, and yet to me they were wildly attractive.

I'm glad that Dustin Hoffman has come to that personal revelation, and I think it must take courage to admit what he has, but I'm not sure it's something that women should be championing all over social media.

Seems to me that they are celebrating a battle which should not have had to be won in the first place.

Victory for Dustin Hoffman personally? Absolutely!

But surely as women, we need more!

Rather than celebrating not being judged and treated according to our level of beauty, we should expect not to be.

Sun and Secrets

Morning!

Good lord it is hot here at the moment! 30 degrees. I'm definately not made for that kind of temperature. I was working in a hot kitchen for 5 days straight and now I've got a few days off I'm trying to recover from it! I do like the brightness of the sun though and I make sure to sit out and get my vitamin D for the day! :)

When I was working for those five days I actually got up early and studied chemistry before work. Now that I'm off I have to work extra hard not to be lazy. I need to study more.

I have been thinking about the year off after I finish my undergrad, and I reallyyy don't want to.

I am tempted to take my GAMSAT in March. I had previously discounted that as an option because it's in the middle of my final academic year. But I really want to just get started on my career.

So I'm considering that as an option at this stage.

I'm not going to tell anyone (except you) because I know no one will be supportive of the idea. I hate that I don't have that support in my life at the moment but well what can ya do?!

I'm off to make an iced americano before I melt!

:)

Summer time, restorative time!

Evening!


I love the summer! Free from college with no exams looming. Don't get me wrong I enjoy learning in college but it's nice to have a few months at a different pace. No timetable so I have control over what I want to do. Problem is I tend not to do too much. Lazy summer days and all that...

I try and save as much money as I possibly can by working in a restaurant. But this year there isn't that much work going this summer. Definately feeling a bit under pressure this year as I'm due to be charged full fees for my final year ( over 10,000 euro). Not sure how I am going to be able to afford it. I guess I will have to beg for a loan or something. Eeeeeek!

My summer studentship has kicked off properly now (although my contract still hasn't arrived!) I am starting to carry out a literature review at the moment. I'm a bit lost on the direction my work is supposed to take and unfortunately my supervisor is away for two weeks so I can't really ask. But I'll keep going on with what I'm doing.

I may have to reach out to and visit hospitals around the city to collect ideas and data. I don't know why but the thought of doing that makes me so nervous, though I love being in the hospital environment. It's just fascinating to me! My eyes can't dart around fast enough to take it all in!

Went to see my lecturer for feedback and she encouraged me to keep working away. She think I'm on track to get a 2:1 in my degree, which is great...but I would like a little higher! Also she encouraged me to follow on and pursue a career in medicine. That was really great for me because I always feel insecure when I tell people what I want to do. I'm always afraid they are judging me and laughing at me deep down. But having written that sentance I realise how pathetic that is. I don't really care what they think, at least I shouldn't. All that matters is what I think!

But mannn the process of getting feedback from lecturers is sooo intimidating. You basically sit there and let them tell you exactly how you messed up and failed on all your work. I had one lecturer actually laugh and say "This isn't primary or secondary school you know..." Oh dear.

I'm willing to take all the criticism though, I want to learn from my mistakes. I think you learn more from mistakes than you do from successes. Failure has a way of hitting you hard enough to stir you out of your comfort zone (hence me willingly meeting for criticism).

I'm scared because my final year is 100% of the mark for my degree, and one thing I struggle with (among many other things ha) is remaining consistent throughout the academic year. I suck at this actually. My grades swing from 40 or so up to 70/80! Big difference!

Having severe anaemia could explain a lot really. It makes me so sleepy and tired and it can also make you depressed so I hear. Have to get my iron levels up. I've been anaemic for at least five years that I know of.

Started a new diet to lose a little weight before the next term starts. I figure get into healthy eating habits now and hopefully be more inclined to keep them throughout the term.