The boldness drips from my brush as I rock out to Florence & The Machine. “Oh Patricia, you’ve always been my north star…You remind me that it’s such a wonderful thing to love.” Written for Patti Smith, it’s one of my favourite songs. Instead of the flowing Gucci dresses Florence wears, I am covered in…
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I'm an Associate Professor in the School of Health Studies at Western University in London, Ontario. An anthropologist with cultural and medical expertise, I conduct ethnographic research with women and others in sex work, people with HIV/AIDS, and Indigenous populations. My special research interests include sexuality and sex work, gender, marginalization, and the politics of health. Along with contributing to different academic and community settings through her research and activism , I enjoys creative writing and recently had a poem published in Anthropology and Humanism, entitled ‘Arboreal’ I'm currently working on on a manuscript that examines how feminist culture, sexuality, and gendered power dynamics are being (re)configured through Bumble, the worlds first ‘feminist’ dating app. I live with my cat, Elliott, and enjoy yoga, engaging with the arts, travelling, spending time with family, and finding new ways to experience the world.
Sparking Joy or Anxiety? Exploring the Global Shortage of Storage Cubes
I’m embroiled in a fun, mainly therapeutic design project: transforming my smallest bedroom into a sweet home office. I say mainly because I tend to get obsessive with activities like this and spend inordinate amounts of time window shopping online to select just the right pillow covers, desks, display units, and on it goes. There…
Read MoreThe Path
Simplicity is the path to freedom. This was the last line in today’s 3-minute Sagittarius Today podcast that I listen to every morning before getting out of bed. After replaying the last segment of the recording to make sure I got it right, I jotted it down in the notebook app on my phone, a…
Read MoreQuo·tid·i·an Musings
Quotidian is an adjective that means of or occurring every day; daily.“the car sped noisily off through the quotidian traffic” ordinary or everyday, especially when mundane.“his story is an achingly human one, mired in quotidian details” With pearls around my neck and not a bra in sight, I sit on my couch enjoying the first…
Read More777Hz
After making the obligatory post-birthday “thank you for all the messages” post on Facebook I look at my beautiful cat Elliott, who lays on her scratching post, and begin crying. I’m overwhelmed and my feelings are difficult to process. She is my number one nursemaid and comes to my side when I crumple on the…
Read MoreHappy November!
I’ve been on a forced hiatus from writing because of tendonitis, brought on by too much writing and the added labours of gardening. Honestly, that’s the only thing I’ve been doing differently! It’s a demanding art/craft that I’m really enjoying, but also must put on hold. When I take Elliott on her 30-minute morning strolls…
Read MoreWhy am I obsessed with Big Little Lies?
I have asked my mom to get me the book Big Little Lies, by Australian author Liane Moriarty, for my birthday. In our family birthday lists are still requested and happily furnished, even on the cusp of my 48th year. Last night I finished watching the two-season series for the second time in as many…
Read MoreIn case you missed it
We all have our morning routines, right? Mine usually begins with pretending to be asleep while Elliott, my lovable and domineering orange Tabby cat, patrols the parameters of my bed. I lay motionless while she does her rounds and then hops on the bed, heading straight for my face. There are incredibly urgent things that…
Read MorePalm
Love travels a sticky flow of energies that ignite, excite, and sometimes cool. The meaningful relationship I Tindered my way into a year ago has come to a close. My heart is tender but ok. This relationship taught me a lot and was by far my most healthy, which I’m proud of and grateful for.…
Read MoreWe love you Michelle, but dating is more than monogamy & marriage
It feels sacrilegious to disagree with the former First Lady, but her recent comments about Tinder demand some teatime. On the September 6th episode of The Michelle Obama Podcast with guest Conan O’Brien, she said: “you can’t Tinder your way into a long-term relationship.” The dating app dis prompted hundreds of people to post their Tinder success…
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