Lady in Pink

To me, it’s really obvious that children are crucial parts of our society (and all societies) and that since they can’t defend themselves or vote in favor of their interests, someone needs to do that for them.  This isn’t a new or revolutionary thought on my part in any way.  I started thinking about this today because I was looking into Stand for Children, a grassroots non-profit that has had success acting in the interest of children (particularly for education) in Massachusetts, Tennessee, and Oregon.  They’re jump starting a branch in Washington state, which is where I found them (idealist.org).  There are organizations like this of varying sizes, and one of the most prominent national groups is the Children’s Defense Fund, which has a really wonderful website and a massive amount of information available.  If you’re interested at all I’d really recommend it. 

Today I spent a while reading through the CDF Action Counsel’s ‘Congressional Scorecard’ for 2007, which is linked below.  As much as I had an idea of some of the idiotic decisions that are made, this scorecard really put things into basic terms to explain what was being presented in various bills, propositions, votes, etc. and how these issues affect children (they aren’t always directly labeled as children’s issues, but general things such as raising the minimum wage, for example, has obvious and drastic impacts on the quality of life for children and youth).  It also gives a "grade" for each state and representative (and each presidential candidate) and a breakdown of how each individual voted.

If I wasn’t sure of how I felt on the candidates before now, this definitely helped things along: Clinton-70% (the percentage is basically how much the individual voted in favor of children, according to the views of CDF); Obama-60%; McCain-10% (nice!).

Beyond these ’scores’, the stats for the votes on the individual issues were sometimes really shocking/disturbing:

The Senate and the House voted to extend health coverage to over 3 million uninsured children through SCHIP…awesome! BUT, the funds for this would have to come from an approximately 60¢ increase in the federal tax on cigarettes…yeah…Bush vetoed it.

Other issues don’t even get the chance to be vetoed…for the vote to Increase Funding for Education for Children with Disabilities, not one Republican voted in support of the issue in the Senate (and it was rejected overall 35-58 with 36 Dems and two Independents in favor).  Why? That’s not really stated in the document, but the funds for this increase would have come from taxing the richest Americans…hmm…

Ok, I get it. You ‘made’ your money and saved it and whatever…but these are children.  Children with disabilities no less.  Granted, I’m not the most politically-informed in all issues and I don’t really understand every consideration that goes into making these decisions.  I’m sure there are other specific things that you’ve got to keep in mind when voting.  But, how can you consistently (90% of the time, in McCain’s case) reject votes that benefit children? 

In many cases, rejecting these votes is extremely detrimental to the status of citizens in general, not just children.  But children don’t have a voice, they don’t have a way to stand up and say what they want and need.  Parents, teachers, any kind of authority figures are quick to say that children don’t know what’s best for them, that adults know better and are looking out for their best interests…are these the same adults that are voting for politicians that don’t want to raise minimum wage or vote for amendments that protect children from unsafe medications?  It’s a damn good thing that organizations like Stand for Children and the Children’s Defense Fund have people willing to work overtime for not enough pay, for no recognition, completely for the children. 

This is all very clearly tied to national issues and problems, and these votes that take place on the local, state and national levels reflect the definitions of democracy and community that are supported in America.  For me, the argument is not so ‘patriotic’ or tied just to the country…children are children everywhere.  Children have absolutely no part in the prejudices, grudges and battles of political leaders around the world.  Even more than  civilian casualties of war, youth casualties of global ignorance and apathy are truly tragedies of the innocent. The DREAM Act (which would support education for the children of immigrants and allow them citizenship if they completed high school and attend college or join the military) wasn’t even allowed to go to a vote.  When immigrant issues, tensions and fears keep children from any amount of education, I just think this is completely ridiculous.

In my mind, the politics are secondary…these are children.  If a community can’t keep its children safe, protected and valued as one of the most (if not simply the most) important parts of its growth and persistence, what does that say about the rest of the values of the society? 

CDF Action Counsel: 2007 Congressional Scorecard

I missed it yesterday because we were busy running around, having lunch with Saugata, and coming home to see Andrew, but yesterday, March 21st was SANTANA’S BIRTHDAY!!!

She is such a party puppy!!

Out of curiosity, we researched Freckles’s birthday…approximately October 13, 1994…She will be 14 this year!!! So old!!

Also, Happy Birthday to Dori, whose birthday is the same as Santana!!! Yay!!

"Women are dingbats! Get it? Ha. Ha. Ha."

So, the Washington Post ran this essay by Charlotte Allen…most of the reactions I had are wonderfully put by Katha Pollitt in her response, so I won’t repeat them. There are also some interesting related links in there that include Allen’s responses to reader questions and things like that…

I consider myself to have a great sense of humor and to really support differing opinions and the creative expression of these opinions…but Allen’s piece doesn’t come off as funny at all to me, and while I couldn’t really vocalize why…Pollitt did a pretty decent job of it.  For me, the bottom line in terms of gender, race, sexuality–whatever kind of group you may be a part of–is that some stereotypes may seem confirmed by specific individuals but using this ‘proof’ as a reason to stand behind those stereotypes, make them crucial to your understanding of that group, and then make judgements and enforce restrictions based on that understanding is unfair, limiting and really dangerous…even if you are open-minded, accepting and completely positive in your personal interactions with people, the reinforcement and support of the stereotypes in this way just keeps them alive in society’s understanding and interaction with people.

In her response interview article thing, she says "I wouldn’t quite use the word "ironic," but yes, I meant to be funny but with a serious point–that women want to be taken seriously but quite often don’t act serious. Also, that women and men really are different." First, obviously we’re different…anyone who has ever interacted with someone of the opposite gender knows that…we don’t need her essay to tell us that.  Second, women want to be taken seriously, but don’t act serious?  Allen wanted to be taken seriously (with the serious point behind her essay), but did it in a way that she claims to be funny…the essay was taken seriously, but probably not in the way expected…

Yes, we don’t hear a lot of argument when men are made fun of in women’s magazines, web sites, etc., and there is a hint of hypocrisy in the extreme feminist outcry to anything negative geared towards women.  However, maybe the better solution is to attempt to gain a better understanding of both men and women (and their interaction) and try to get away from these demeaning jokes from either side.  "Well, we make fun of men all the time" is, in my mind, not a good enough excuse for Allen’s unfounded, blanket statements of stupidity.

So, I’m doing work in the University Downtown Center while Hicania is in class…I wish I had headphones.

1) A girl behind me on the computers was telling her friend, pretty loudly, about some lip-waxing/burning misadventures.  You burnt yourself using face removing cream…because you left it on for double the time you are supposed to…stop talking.

2) The guy on the opposite side of the partition from me, on his cell phone: "Yeah man, I’m surprised our phone call didn’t get disconnected yet…I mean, my apartment internet has been messed up all day."  WHAT?!

3) A community group focused on getting money to plant trees around various neighborhoods in Binghamton (a valid and good goal, I’d say) decided to hold their meeting LOUDLY in the comfy chair area where I was reading/studying, because they couldn’t find the room they had reserved.

4) Some random woman (not faculty, staff, or student) tried (also loudly) to convince the guy running the info desk in the computer lab that she needed a student to teach her to do something on the computer, and that she needed to tape record this teaching session, with detailed descriptions of which buttons were being clicked ("like…second from the left…little image thingie…like on the screen.").  Also, that the system they have for signing something out or in is inefficient and they should fix it.  AND that she would like to meet with the director of BU’s computing deal to get non-university people access to printers…or something.

–

To make us all happier:

A lot of things have changed for this semester (my CDC ‘internship’, less Scholars meetings, classes only TR, job search, apartment packing), and I’m still adjusting to things that changed last semester (the gym routine, free weekends, no Matt, no Hicania in my office).  So, I realized that I need some new routines.

1-Job search, Chai tea, & This American Life.  Andrea introduced me to Chai tea which not only makes me feel sophisticated and fancy, but gives me a reason to use my wide variety of mugs, AND is delicious.  Tonight I drank tea, caught up on like 3 episodes of TAL, and browsed new job posting on about 80 web sites.  I am ridiculously relaxed and excited at the same time…there are finally jobs I’m interested in/possibly qualified for, and unlike every other time I’ve looked at listings, I’m not ready to curl up in the corner and sob about it.  Is it the tea? Is it the NPR? Is it the fact that I had CDC training today and feel like I’m actually on the way to doing some active job searching?  WHO KNOWS.  But any way, chai is delicious, superintendents are nuts (TAL #346), and Santana is being sweet and cuddly like you’d never imagine. 

On that note:

2-Blogging about the adorableness of my baby puppy. (More writing in general).

Gorgeous, right?  Andrew brought his digital camera home from school and after I got back from Queens with Matt, my adorable little brother presented me with a series of absolutely wonderful photos of Santana.  I think this one looks like a professional portrait or something.  I have no idea how he got her to cooperate and sit still for so long.  I usually get a camera full of puppy nose when I try.  I might be turning into one of those grossly in love puppy-moms…Matt and I started a puppy baby book for Santana last week.  I took her to a groomer (just for a bath and nail trimming!) and she got her scraggly fur trimmed (I will admit, that made me a little sad…I love that she’s a scruffy pup) and a girly, flowered bandana, which I have left on for the past three days.  She might be completely spoiled…but she makes me feel better and smile even when I am feeling depressed, sick, lonely, whatever.  She is the sweetest, cuddliest puppy ever and just loves to play, be close, and pay attention to every move you make.  It is one of the best gifts I’ve ever gotten (UK graduation gift from Veronica) and right up there with the important parts of my life.  She loves Matt, Matt loves her, she loves bacon, I love bacon, she loves running around in giant circles, Freckles loves slowly following her around.  Done and done.

3-Monday Date Nite.  My partner GA last year was one of about…oh, maybe…five reasons I didn’t have a complete meltdown during my job between August 06 and May 07.  I was really afraid we wouldn’t see much of each other after we stopped working together…NOT SO.  We managed to have mostly weekly date nights on Tuesdays last semester that got slightly more sporadic later in the semester.  This semester we’re going with Mondays for early dinner, late movie.  The bonus is that she’s got class in the UDC between dinner and the movie, so I’m going to set that time aside for me to sit in the computer lab down there and get definite work done every week.  I think this will be super helpful and give me some regular scheduling where so much of the rest of my stuff this semester is super flexible and doesn’t commit me to specific hours for most of the time. 

4-Craftiness! A while ago, my aunt (ex-aunt-in-law?) bought me some scrapbooking stuff as a gift, and I have since been mildly interested in it.  Then this past October, Marinda invited me to a "Stampin’ Up!" party and I was completely hooked.  I am trying hard not to spend lots of money on it, because it can get expensive, but every once in a while I treat myself to a mini-splurge.  And during weeks when I’m particularly stressed, but not necessarily overly busy, I force myself to set aside an hour on a night in the middle of the week and stamp for a bit — it is SO relaxing for me, and then I get to have some concrete result of the relaxation.  I think it overall has a great effect on me, so I am going to make it a part of my weekly routine this semester to keep me on track and in the not-flipping-out range of existence.  Andrea and Kelly also taught me how to knit (well, almost), and that requires more patience to get something close to a feasible result, but it is still relaxing, and can be done with slightly less-focused concentration. So, YAY!  Plus, it all gives me an excuse to sit with some girls and relax and catch up. 

5-Puppy walks.  Yeah yeah, back to the puppy.  On top of a more regular gym routine, as the weather warms up, I want to get back into the habit of long walks to Rec. Park with Santana.  She loves the walk and the park, and I love to watch her explore and then get tired of walking and try to pull me up random steps into strangers’ houses to go home.  Really, the reason for wanting exercise in my routine is self-explanatory, but the need for adorable puppy fun is less obvious if you aren’t turning into a crazy dog lady like I am.

6-Reading for fun.  My two class (Modernism something or other & Masterpieces of the Novel) are a mix of books that look wonderful, and books I will trudge through.  I read a bunch of wonderful stuff since last semester, and my list of books to read keeps growing.  So, even if it’s slow, I’m going to build in time for reading non-school books.  Next on my list:

Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk Read more about this book…

The Tenth Circle: A Novel by Jodi Picoult Read more about this book…

As I work on making my resume solid, I realize I have a random list of ideal/hypothetical/somewhat non-congruent specifications for my future job and/or career…

1.  I want to work in an office/position/company that is welcoming, safe, and very much a community of people…I have been spoiled by SALI at UK and Campus Life at Binghamton…I have worked with amazingly nurturing people, surrounded by superb workers, and in really friendly environments.  But that is not necessarily a guarantee in any field…although maybe it is more likely in a Student Affairs community?
2. I need to be in a position where I feel like I am making some kind of change or difference on a small scale…whether in community involvement (I volunteered at a center for literacy & learning in Lexington, and would love to find a job that does something like that), student development (the last couple years have really cemented the fact that the things involved in advising, programming, orientating, and generally working with college students are things that I am really good at and that I really enjoy), or really just any kind of smaller-scale company where I know my impact is felt.
3. I like to be in control, be able to see and plan the future to some extent, and to be able to express myself and my ideas…so any kind of position where I am just pushing papers or doing the dirty work of someone else’s cause or plan is not ideal…this sort of rules out a lot of larger-company-type things…I guess?
4. I would love to be able to use my degree to some extent…imagine that! I could end up teaching…probably not…and if so, sometime in the future, or as a last resort.  I could edit…I enjoy editing the writing of anyone other than myself…but that is not really where I see myself next year…for some reason?
5. I would also love to be able to use the experience I’ve developed in general marketing/advertising stuff (which would come along with any kind of programming or community position), and in computer programs like publisher, Photoshop, Dreamweaver, whatever else Matt ends up teaching me about programming…but those skills, without some kind of degree or certification or something, won’t be my keys into finding a job…they’ll be qualifications that help me stand out once I am being considered. 

Ok, that is one of the lamest lists I have ever created…it solves nothing, helps in no way, and mostly just causes more anxiety about the entire job search.  At this point, it is too early to come to any conclusions about what I will be doing after May/June, but it is also not at all too early to be freaking out about it, driving Matt crazy by randomly flipping out, and taking entire afternoons to look at HR websites for jobs, even though I know nothing will be posted yet.

HERE ARE SOME LESS SERIOUS, STILL AWESOME, HILARIOUS DISCUSSIONS OF JOBS:

• http://www.qwantz.com/archive/000858.html
• http://www.qwantz.com/archive/000793.html
• http://www.qwantz.com/archive/000616.html
• http://www.qwantz.com/archive/000845.html

THANKS T-REX, THAT HELPS A LOT!

I am really amazed at how accurately XKCD manages to portray the way I feel with some stick figures…anyway, December 27th couldn’t come soon enough, and I’m crossing my fingers that next semester flies by. Maybe sometime before February someone will find a way to make $50, 1-hour cross-country trips possible…please?

Angular Momentum…my favorite