"Life happens while you're busy making [other] plans." John Lennon
I like to think that I'm fairly laid back and flexible. If something doesn't work out the way I thought it would, there is always a back up that is just as good, if not better.
Since I was in Kindergarten I have always wanted to be a teacher. At first it was to be a Kindergarten teacher, but in the end I became a high school teacher. That was plan b. For a while my plan was to move to Kansas City to teach, but I decided to get out of Kansas and see what else was out there. Arizona is where I ended up living for the last three and a half years. That was plan b. Last year at my best friend's New Years Eve bash I met a guy that I thought was going to be just a friend, but he's turned out to be the love of my life. That was plan b. Recently I've informed my boss and a few colleagues that I will be moving back to Kansas City, but I won't be entering the work force as a teacher. That is plan b. This past Friday night I was planning a quiet night at home with a good book or a "Gilmore Girls" DVD for the billionth time, but my pipes broke and I had a mess to clean up. That was plan b.
What I've noticed is that most of the plan b's that have happened in my life turn out to be better than what I had originally planned. I never would have imagined that my life in Arizona would have been as tough or as rewarding as it's been, but I'm thankful that I was even given the opportunity in the first place. The same could be said for my relationship with Josh. I was going to sell both of us short by choosing to be just friends because I was scared of a long-distance relationship, but it's turned into something I never could have dreamed.
While most of my plan a's were okay and plan b's turned out better, sometimes these sort of things aren't ideal. For example, you envision a life with children and a happy home--plan a. Unfortunately, for one reason or another it doesn't happen and you have to accept that--plan b. Expecting to marry a person and live happily ever after--plan a. Divorce or death can happen and you're left on your own (so to speak)--plan b. There is nothing that can be certain in this life. Refusing to be flexible, to let life happen, to roll with the punches, can break an individual. Choosing to look on the bright side, to be optimistic about an outcome--whatever it may be--is what will save you, your sanity, and your relationships. This can be made even easier when surrounded by a strong support system of people.
I feel so incredibly blessed to have people in my life who support me, respect me, and help me. My support system of family, Josh, friends, and colleagues have helped me to realize that it's okay to move back home after being gone for three and a half years, that it's okay to not be a teacher even though that's what I went to school for, that it's okay to give that relationship a shot even though you're terrified of long-distance relationships, that's okay if things don't work out the way you originally planned--because it usually leads to something greater.
"You can't always get what you want. But if you try sometime, you just might find, you get what you need." Mick Jagger.
I'm glad I didn't get what I wanted, but that I got exactly what I needed.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
This will be my last Christmas where I have to fly home in order to celebrate with my family and friends. This will be my last winter where I can run around in capri pants, a light cardigan, and flats all day long. This will be my last Christmas break countdown since I won't have Christmas breaks to look forward to the way teachers do.
Besides looking forward to the time away from work, Christmas is my favorite holiday to celebrate. What other holiday encourages you to wear pants with an elastic waist because you're going to stuff yourself? Or centers around celebrating the ones you love the most? Or allows for such surprises and thoughtfulness as you consider what gifts to purchase for others? Or highlights major religious ideas all over the entire world?
I absolutely love being able to wear tons and tons of clothes to keep warm, snuggling up on the couch with my boyfriend and a blanket while we watch a movie next to the warm fire, and playing out in the snow in the warm, but fading sunlight. I absolutely love being able to help my Momaceta and Little Kissy make food for the entire family to eat, setting the formal dinning room for meals, and listening to the family talk and laugh while Christmas carols play in the background. I absolutely love hearing my Popawooski stand at the top of the stairs after we're tucked into bed and say, "A-Ho ho ho, Meeeery Christmas," in his Santa voice, or the next morning to wake us up by singing "Oh, Christmas Tree," as loud as he can from downstairs. I absolutely love being able to see my Grandma Freeman and Granny Rosie, aunts and uncles, cousins and their new additions to the family--wives, husbands, and children--while we play a board game, attempt an athletic competition (football, soccer, basketball), or play card games. I absolutely love going to lunch with my girlfriends/sisters and catching up on all of the little things we miss by only talking on the phone. I absolutely love driving around town to look at all of the Christmas lights in various neighborhoods or set up by organizations for a donation, singing Christmas carols, and drinking peppermint hot chocolate to warm up again.
It's also at this time that things are somewhat bittersweet for me. My Grandpa Freeman, the patriarch of our family, is not with us. He passed away in 2006 and I feel his absence every day--especially this time of year--because he so loved the holidays for what they represented: the birth of Jesus Christ, the family came home, and he was able to eat all day long to his heart's content. Beyond missing Grandpa Freeman so much, I realize that I won't be able to see my friends here in Arizona to wish them a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in person. They're so supportive and happy for me and the next chapter I'll begin next May/June, but we all know how deeply we'll miss one another's company on a daily basis.
With so much to be thankful for, I don't really know where to begin. I'm thankful for my Momaceta and Popawooski who support me, encourage me, love me, believe in me, and want nothing but the best for me. Without them, I would not have last as long as I have in Arizona. Being away from them is difficult at best because we are so close. I'm thankful for my Little Kissy and brother-in-law who manage to make life interesting and comical. Although we're 20 months apart, my Little Kissy and I are so much a part of each other that I feel like I've missed out on more than I realize by being so far away. She's there when I'm up, down, sideways, and every direction in-between. I'm thankful for my Grandma Freeman and Granny Rosie who are still with us. They're such amazing, strong, beautiful, intelligent, and generous women who have taught me a lot about life, love, and the value of a strong core family. I'm thankful for my friends in Arizona who've stepped up to the plate to help me along while I've lived here. Some are totally unexpected treasures who will be the reason I return for periodical visits, while others have waxed and waned, but have been no less important in helping me become who I am today. I'm thankful for my friends in Kansas who have been my cheerleaders from day one. Ashley, my birthday twin best friend who is the sister Dusti and I have been missing all along. She has been in the trenches with me and will be standing next to me at the top of Mount Everest if I asked her. While the distance between Kansas City and Arizona is far, she is available at the drop of a hat. If there is a celebration, she calls to make sure I'm included, and is a shoulder to cry on when things are tough or sad. Marci, who calls it like she sees it and challenges my decisions because she is looking at the bigger picture, but ultimately supports me. Dustin, who is my zen brother. He helps put perspective on my life and keeps me entertained with life's little quirks. I'm thankful for my boyfriend, Josh, who is the love of my life. He is the man of my dreams, and has been able to check off the items on my list that I began in high school, added to in college, and finalized years before I ever met him. 2010 has been the year he redefined what it means to love a person. Our future lies together in a story that will be a masterpiece. He is my home. I know my family and friends are as equally thankful for him--the love he shows me, the happiness he brings me--and for him being the icing on my cake of moving back to Kansas. If this year was amazing, then I can't even fathom what our years together will hold. He is my little lover boy (Stevie Ray Vaughn), my farm boy ("Princess Bride"), and the man I love with all of my heart. He is mine and I am forever thankful for him.
Besides looking forward to the time away from work, Christmas is my favorite holiday to celebrate. What other holiday encourages you to wear pants with an elastic waist because you're going to stuff yourself? Or centers around celebrating the ones you love the most? Or allows for such surprises and thoughtfulness as you consider what gifts to purchase for others? Or highlights major religious ideas all over the entire world?
I absolutely love being able to wear tons and tons of clothes to keep warm, snuggling up on the couch with my boyfriend and a blanket while we watch a movie next to the warm fire, and playing out in the snow in the warm, but fading sunlight. I absolutely love being able to help my Momaceta and Little Kissy make food for the entire family to eat, setting the formal dinning room for meals, and listening to the family talk and laugh while Christmas carols play in the background. I absolutely love hearing my Popawooski stand at the top of the stairs after we're tucked into bed and say, "A-Ho ho ho, Meeeery Christmas," in his Santa voice, or the next morning to wake us up by singing "Oh, Christmas Tree," as loud as he can from downstairs. I absolutely love being able to see my Grandma Freeman and Granny Rosie, aunts and uncles, cousins and their new additions to the family--wives, husbands, and children--while we play a board game, attempt an athletic competition (football, soccer, basketball), or play card games. I absolutely love going to lunch with my girlfriends/sisters and catching up on all of the little things we miss by only talking on the phone. I absolutely love driving around town to look at all of the Christmas lights in various neighborhoods or set up by organizations for a donation, singing Christmas carols, and drinking peppermint hot chocolate to warm up again.
It's also at this time that things are somewhat bittersweet for me. My Grandpa Freeman, the patriarch of our family, is not with us. He passed away in 2006 and I feel his absence every day--especially this time of year--because he so loved the holidays for what they represented: the birth of Jesus Christ, the family came home, and he was able to eat all day long to his heart's content. Beyond missing Grandpa Freeman so much, I realize that I won't be able to see my friends here in Arizona to wish them a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in person. They're so supportive and happy for me and the next chapter I'll begin next May/June, but we all know how deeply we'll miss one another's company on a daily basis.
With so much to be thankful for, I don't really know where to begin. I'm thankful for my Momaceta and Popawooski who support me, encourage me, love me, believe in me, and want nothing but the best for me. Without them, I would not have last as long as I have in Arizona. Being away from them is difficult at best because we are so close. I'm thankful for my Little Kissy and brother-in-law who manage to make life interesting and comical. Although we're 20 months apart, my Little Kissy and I are so much a part of each other that I feel like I've missed out on more than I realize by being so far away. She's there when I'm up, down, sideways, and every direction in-between. I'm thankful for my Grandma Freeman and Granny Rosie who are still with us. They're such amazing, strong, beautiful, intelligent, and generous women who have taught me a lot about life, love, and the value of a strong core family. I'm thankful for my friends in Arizona who've stepped up to the plate to help me along while I've lived here. Some are totally unexpected treasures who will be the reason I return for periodical visits, while others have waxed and waned, but have been no less important in helping me become who I am today. I'm thankful for my friends in Kansas who have been my cheerleaders from day one. Ashley, my birthday twin best friend who is the sister Dusti and I have been missing all along. She has been in the trenches with me and will be standing next to me at the top of Mount Everest if I asked her. While the distance between Kansas City and Arizona is far, she is available at the drop of a hat. If there is a celebration, she calls to make sure I'm included, and is a shoulder to cry on when things are tough or sad. Marci, who calls it like she sees it and challenges my decisions because she is looking at the bigger picture, but ultimately supports me. Dustin, who is my zen brother. He helps put perspective on my life and keeps me entertained with life's little quirks. I'm thankful for my boyfriend, Josh, who is the love of my life. He is the man of my dreams, and has been able to check off the items on my list that I began in high school, added to in college, and finalized years before I ever met him. 2010 has been the year he redefined what it means to love a person. Our future lies together in a story that will be a masterpiece. He is my home. I know my family and friends are as equally thankful for him--the love he shows me, the happiness he brings me--and for him being the icing on my cake of moving back to Kansas. If this year was amazing, then I can't even fathom what our years together will hold. He is my little lover boy (Stevie Ray Vaughn), my farm boy ("Princess Bride"), and the man I love with all of my heart. He is mine and I am forever thankful for him.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Hey, Teacher! Leave Them Kids Alone!
You may not know this, but I'm from the Midwest. People think that we're slow. We're not slow, we're traditional. Adding ma'am and sir at the beginning or end of a sentence is normal. Smiling and waving at people, being polite, and and showing courtesy to others is just a part of life.
My parents taught my sister and I manners. We spent a lot of time with our grandparents who were all born in 1925 (two of the four are still living), so we knew from a very early age what it meant to respect our elders. Anytime something was asked of us, we were expected to do it with respect even if we didn't want to. Education was high on our parent's priority list. I still remember Momaceta telling Dusti and I that Great-Grandpa Carr told her that, "Education is the single most important thing in your life. It's the one thing a person cannot take away from you."
Coming from this type of background, it may not be difficult for you to understand why I'm appalled at the way some kids behave these days. Cussing out a teacher, skipping classes because you don't want to attend, assuming that you are equal to all the adults in your life, demanding things because you feel that you are entitled to it in the first place when you've done absolutely nothing to earn it, wanting to put forth no effort into actually learning something and expecting the teachers to do all of the hard work for you, wondering why you have a low grade when you've a) turned in nothing, b) turned in all of your work with no quality behind it, or c) expect to be given full credit when you hand 9 weeks worth of work the day before grades are due, throwing a temper-tantrum when something doesn't go your way, or not being held accountable for any actions was not something that would have even been considered, but somehow, that's the state of the world today.
They say that the way a civilization breaks down is when the family breaks down. I'm not entirely certain I agree with the statement. To me, it depends on what you are defining as a family. As you get older you can choose who your family is--not relying on the one you're born into. If you have a support system around you, people that you care about and depend on, those that you share your joys and sorrows with regularly, the ones who applaud you when you succeed and carry you when you fall, then you have a family. It does not have to be traditional: man, woman, son, daughter, cat, dog, white picket fence. Using this logic, everyone has a family of some sort.
Civilization is not breaking down because the traditional family is evolving into something new. Nope. Our civilization as we know it is breaking down because education is not being placed first in our community. It doesn't matter what type of family you come from, it's a fact that the United States does not care about education as much as it did in the past. A perfect example: I have two students who moved here from the Middle East. Their schools went from 7 am to 4 pm with homework that lasted from the time you arrived home until around Midnight. In America, the average student attends school from 7:30-2:30, a little bit of homework in the evening after two hours of sports practice. The weekends are not spend studying for exams or completing extra work, but hanging out at the movies, shopping, playing video games, or other various recreational ways.
It's just a thought, but what if we made the kids more accountable for their own learning? Give me a moment to outline a possibility.
With class sizes in most public schools reaching a breaking point for the teacher, we should not try to focus so much on one-on-one class time. Elementary schools would teach the basics just as they do now, but junior high schools (6-8) would focus entirely on study skills and learning styles. They would research different job options for post-secondary education and decide for themselves if they are best suited for a university/academia, or if they should go into something like manual labor/ready-to-work skills that requires some sort of a certificate. Their main classes (general science, biology, chemistry, algebra, geometry, calculus, trig, English, civics, history, economics, etc.) would all be held in a lecture hall. Rather than having two sections of sophomore English with 25+ kids in it, I would have them all at once and lecture for 30 minutes about what it was they were supposed to cover the night before. All of them would hit their core classes together because they wouldn't have any electives yet. By lunch, they would be entirely finished with their lectures and have time to spend in independent study, labs, the studio, peer tutoring, or sign up for one-on-one time with a teacher that would be a daily first-come-first-serve basis, to catch up on reading, and to complete research. We wouldn't have daily assignment that they would have to hand in, but a few projects total for the semester to make sure they grasp the concepts that were presented. It would be entirely up to the student to complete the work and learn time management, rather than having teachers constantly harp on them to finish the assignment for the day.
You may be saying to yourself that school should be like this already, but that's not the case. It seems these days that a teacher must hold a student's hand just to make sure the basics are completed. Perhaps some schools are already this way, but I'm unaware of it. If high school kids are in such a hurry to be treated like an adult, a college kid, someone who is responsible, then why don't we make their high school education like that of an adult, a college kid, someone who is responsible?
My parents taught my sister and I manners. We spent a lot of time with our grandparents who were all born in 1925 (two of the four are still living), so we knew from a very early age what it meant to respect our elders. Anytime something was asked of us, we were expected to do it with respect even if we didn't want to. Education was high on our parent's priority list. I still remember Momaceta telling Dusti and I that Great-Grandpa Carr told her that, "Education is the single most important thing in your life. It's the one thing a person cannot take away from you."
Coming from this type of background, it may not be difficult for you to understand why I'm appalled at the way some kids behave these days. Cussing out a teacher, skipping classes because you don't want to attend, assuming that you are equal to all the adults in your life, demanding things because you feel that you are entitled to it in the first place when you've done absolutely nothing to earn it, wanting to put forth no effort into actually learning something and expecting the teachers to do all of the hard work for you, wondering why you have a low grade when you've a) turned in nothing, b) turned in all of your work with no quality behind it, or c) expect to be given full credit when you hand 9 weeks worth of work the day before grades are due, throwing a temper-tantrum when something doesn't go your way, or not being held accountable for any actions was not something that would have even been considered, but somehow, that's the state of the world today.
They say that the way a civilization breaks down is when the family breaks down. I'm not entirely certain I agree with the statement. To me, it depends on what you are defining as a family. As you get older you can choose who your family is--not relying on the one you're born into. If you have a support system around you, people that you care about and depend on, those that you share your joys and sorrows with regularly, the ones who applaud you when you succeed and carry you when you fall, then you have a family. It does not have to be traditional: man, woman, son, daughter, cat, dog, white picket fence. Using this logic, everyone has a family of some sort.
Civilization is not breaking down because the traditional family is evolving into something new. Nope. Our civilization as we know it is breaking down because education is not being placed first in our community. It doesn't matter what type of family you come from, it's a fact that the United States does not care about education as much as it did in the past. A perfect example: I have two students who moved here from the Middle East. Their schools went from 7 am to 4 pm with homework that lasted from the time you arrived home until around Midnight. In America, the average student attends school from 7:30-2:30, a little bit of homework in the evening after two hours of sports practice. The weekends are not spend studying for exams or completing extra work, but hanging out at the movies, shopping, playing video games, or other various recreational ways.
It's just a thought, but what if we made the kids more accountable for their own learning? Give me a moment to outline a possibility.
With class sizes in most public schools reaching a breaking point for the teacher, we should not try to focus so much on one-on-one class time. Elementary schools would teach the basics just as they do now, but junior high schools (6-8) would focus entirely on study skills and learning styles. They would research different job options for post-secondary education and decide for themselves if they are best suited for a university/academia, or if they should go into something like manual labor/ready-to-work skills that requires some sort of a certificate. Their main classes (general science, biology, chemistry, algebra, geometry, calculus, trig, English, civics, history, economics, etc.) would all be held in a lecture hall. Rather than having two sections of sophomore English with 25+ kids in it, I would have them all at once and lecture for 30 minutes about what it was they were supposed to cover the night before. All of them would hit their core classes together because they wouldn't have any electives yet. By lunch, they would be entirely finished with their lectures and have time to spend in independent study, labs, the studio, peer tutoring, or sign up for one-on-one time with a teacher that would be a daily first-come-first-serve basis, to catch up on reading, and to complete research. We wouldn't have daily assignment that they would have to hand in, but a few projects total for the semester to make sure they grasp the concepts that were presented. It would be entirely up to the student to complete the work and learn time management, rather than having teachers constantly harp on them to finish the assignment for the day.
You may be saying to yourself that school should be like this already, but that's not the case. It seems these days that a teacher must hold a student's hand just to make sure the basics are completed. Perhaps some schools are already this way, but I'm unaware of it. If high school kids are in such a hurry to be treated like an adult, a college kid, someone who is responsible, then why don't we make their high school education like that of an adult, a college kid, someone who is responsible?
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Mr. Fix It
Last night my friend Allison and I went out for a margaritas. We got to talking about the current political situation our nation is facing and it naturally turned to President Obama. Both of us consider ourselves Democrats, her more so than myself considering both of her parents are Dems and mine are Republicans.
"You know, it really bothers me the way that they talk about Obama," she said.
I had to agree. His opposition has nothing positive to say about him. Why would they? They're trying to get back into office. Typically, when facing an opponent, you don't compliment them and tell them what a good job they're doing when you want to be doing that job yourself, but in a totally different way/direction.
What bothers me, I guess, the most, is the way that people don't realize what it is they're saying because they choose the wrong words or don't notice the tone they use. Many people are upset with the fact that they think he's a muslim, is not a legal US citizen, supports the building of a muslim mosque on Ground Zero, dislike the new health-care bill that he has enacted, have lost faith in his economic policy because we aren't back up on the high we had before the recession began, or wish that he would take a stand on different things. In fact, there are young people that I've come in contact with who are upset that he's in office because they think he's going to make all white/caucasian citizens into slaves to get back at us for enslaving his ancestors.
Um, I'm sorry, but all of these seem somewhat absurd to me.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the United States worried about someone who was elected into office being Catholic instead of a Protestant? Hello, President Kennedy! We seemed to survive that ordeal and he is one of the most beloved president's in our history. If we can overcome a Catholic president, I'm sure we can get through this, even though I've not heard or seen concrete evidence to prove that President Obama is, in fact, a muslim. And so what if he is? The United States was founded by the Puritans who were seeking religious safe-haven in an unsettled (unsettled to European standards) land. Why would we persecute a person, let alone our elected president, because of a religious belief?
At the moment, I may have to give up the point that he's not a legal US citizen. As far as I know, his birth certificate has not be produced or authenticated. I choose to believe that the powers at hand did their job and made sure of everything before they let him into office.
To those that are up-in-arms over the islamic mosque being built on Ground Zero, can we please get a few facts straight before continuing?
1. It is a community center, not a religious center.
2. The site where they want to build is not directly on Ground Zero, but a few blocks away.
3. Not all muslims are as awful as the ones who flew the planes into the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001. I happen to think of myself as a Christian and I really don't appreciate it when someone compares me to the Phelps' religious fanatics from Topeka, Kansas. As a Kansan, I try to make sure people know not everyone from Kansas is as messed up as the Phelps. We don't judge all black male athletes to be O.J. Simpson or Mike Tyson. We don't judge all Koreans to be the same as Kim Jung Il. The list goes on and on, but I happen to think that there are poor examples from every community in the world, but you don't judge every person to be the exact same way, do you? If you do, I'm surprised you ever leave the house or communicate with anyone on any given day.
4. Christians weren't the only people who died in the Twin Towers. That building was full of many different religions, spiritual beliefs, and atheists. Rather than being fussy that a group of muslims would like to build a community center a few blocks from Ground Zero, why don't we devote the whole place to every religious group out there? Each one could have the exact same space of ground to build on, or not, and use it as a tribute of the hope for world peace? I'm pretty sure John Lennon would be impressed. So would Jesus. Or Buddah. Or maybe no one would be, but it's a nice idea if you're an atheist.
5. Interchanging the term muslim for terrorist is not acceptable. Did the terrorists happen to muslim? Unfortunately, yes. Are all muslims as unstable as the terrorists? Fortunately, no. The christian community would be up in arms if this were being done to them. Continually interchanging muslim for terrorist is only perpetuating the hatred towards people who don't deserve it.
6. Telling the muslim community that they can't build community centers or mosques near Ground Zero, or in the state of Kentucky, is taking us back to the Japanese internment camps circa WWII. While we may not be physically deporting them to the crappiest bits of real estate in Arizona, telling them where they can or can't build is heading in that direction.
7. There is a separation of church and state. President Obama is to create and enact policies that he feels would make America better than it was, not to comment on what some religions are wanting to accomplish. Legislators have somewhat successfully been able to keep faith/religion/spirituality out of the laws. You cannot ask someone who is to make laws that are to govern every person from every walk of life in this nation to take a stand on something like this.
A number of years ago the Democrats had this idea of a thing called welfare and social security. Both were good ideas. Both need to be revamped. Both are being abused. Both have been used by the majority of our nation at one time or another. The health-care bill the President Obama has created and put into place is only going to help. Will it be perfect from the get go? No, nothing ever is. However, we are one of the last industrialized first-rate countries in the world who hasn't used it. Why is that? While this may go hand-in-hand with the people-need-to-be-responsible-for-themselves, I'd like to point out how the recent financial crisis has made people who are normally responsible-for-themselves not-so-responsible-for-themselves. Children who have lousy parents (regardless of socio-economic status) shouldn't be punished and go without basic health care. Adults who are working multiple jobs just to make ends meet while attending college (or not) shouldn't be punished and go without basic health care. Senior citizens who need thousands of dollars worth of prescriptions each month shouldn't be punished and go without basic health care. Health care is not a privilege, but a basic and fundamental right--like breathing. Yes, it will be abused, but what in this world isn't being abused these days? There will be ways to fix the abuse to the system, you just have to put it in place and figure it out as you go.
There are those who feel that the plans that President Obama has set forth aren't showing any success and want to abandon them for an immediate fix. When the foundation of your house has serious damage, you don't use duct tape to fix it, you invest in some serious construction to save it, or replace it--if it's even possible. Expecting the bailouts to save the economy (while, might I add, they are being used as bonuses for the CEO's and other various executives who are in charge of this mess) immediately is not a reasonable expectation. A food fight can last 15 minutes, but it will take hours to clean--especially when the carpet is soiled, the hardwood floors have been scratched, and the grout has some sort of sticky goo that is unidentifiable and even Simple Green can't get it off the floor. It took nearly seven years to get into the most recent recession, and expecting two full years to eradicate the situation is ludicrous. While President Obama had plans, I doubt even he knew the depths of which the recession would take the American community and those plans probably had to be tossed out for something else.
Probably the biggest issue that faces the Obama administration right now is the border between the US and Mexico. Should something have been done earlier? Yes. Should they be doing something now? Yes. What would you suggest? A giant fence or the Great Wall of the Southwest can be climbed, scaled, tunneled, or blown up. Opening up the border to everyone will only put a further burden on our economy as it is. Using our military resources just for the south is impractical. Allowing basic citizens monitor it themselves won't work because there will be no cohesion to who's let in and who's not. I think any reasonable suggestions should be entertained.
Just a thought....actually, it's a few thoughts:
1. Rather than throw temper-tantrums against your opposition (and this goes for both parties) why not act like adults? Shocking, I know! Consider this: When a child says, "This sucks!" it only further fuels the fire for you to think they're wrong and have no idea what is best for them. When a child uses their vocabulary, intellect, and rational reasoning skills to communicate that they are dissatisfied, you are more apt to listen. Republicans should use their vocabulary, intellect, and rational reasoning skills to communicate to the Democrats why they are upset with the laws that the Obama administration is trying to (or has) put into place. In return, the Democrats should behave similarly and continue on with the discussion at hand.
2. Support someone who has volunteered to clean up the shit storm that others before him left behind. (This also goes for both parties.) Democrats are not perfect. We leave behind messes, too. But rather than point out how it SHOULD be done, why not pitch in and help. Perhaps one of you out there has a good idea that can be used. Why not offer it up? I didn't know that newspaper and Windex cleans windows better than a rag and Windex until someone told me. Who knew? Same goes for this. To complain and throw fits that your house is a mess after a house-party does no good. Your guests should have cleaned up after themselves, but they didn't. You don't point out to the one or two guests (out of the 100 who attended) who are helping clean, that they're doing it all wrong. No. In real-life you thank them for sticking around to help. Actually, in real-life, you probably don't allow 100 people to screw up your house in the first place, but just go with it.
3. Relax. Our founding fathers put policies in place that regulate how laws are made and enacted. They did this because, well, they were smart and the general public is not. Have you ever noticed how everything has a natural rate? The opposite of summer is winter. The temperature between the two evens out. What makes you think the same thing won't happen with our great nation? The reason that it takes forever to get anything accomplished in this nation is because the founding fathers wanted us to really think about what it is we were going to call a law. Laws and beliefs are pretty strong words to be slinging around. They sound definite and inflexible, black and white with no possible hint of gray. Until they are actual laws and beliefs that everyone must adhere to, we should really just call them ideas or suggestions. So, relax. Everything will even itself out in the long run. If not, there's an upside: The world is supposed to end December 12, 2012, and you'll only have to live with things like this for a short while--if that's what you believe.
4. Learn to be patient. You need to give something the opportunity to work before you figure out that it won't. Let's entertain the ideas that our president has brought to the table. If they don't work, we can move to plan b and all we've lost is time. And to be honest, we would probably have lost that time to some other idea that didn't work. It's not as if you're really going anywhere. I mean, yes, you could move out of the country and become and expatriate, or perhaps you'll be leaving this world soon due to death, but whatever law is in place isn't really going to change any of that is it? If you're leaving the country for good, this single presidency isn't the real reason for it. And if you're dying, well, the law itself isn't going to cure you.
Currently drinking: Pumpkin Spice Latte
Currently eating: Horsey-cream cheese and turkey sandwich
"You know, it really bothers me the way that they talk about Obama," she said.
I had to agree. His opposition has nothing positive to say about him. Why would they? They're trying to get back into office. Typically, when facing an opponent, you don't compliment them and tell them what a good job they're doing when you want to be doing that job yourself, but in a totally different way/direction.
What bothers me, I guess, the most, is the way that people don't realize what it is they're saying because they choose the wrong words or don't notice the tone they use. Many people are upset with the fact that they think he's a muslim, is not a legal US citizen, supports the building of a muslim mosque on Ground Zero, dislike the new health-care bill that he has enacted, have lost faith in his economic policy because we aren't back up on the high we had before the recession began, or wish that he would take a stand on different things. In fact, there are young people that I've come in contact with who are upset that he's in office because they think he's going to make all white/caucasian citizens into slaves to get back at us for enslaving his ancestors.
Um, I'm sorry, but all of these seem somewhat absurd to me.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the United States worried about someone who was elected into office being Catholic instead of a Protestant? Hello, President Kennedy! We seemed to survive that ordeal and he is one of the most beloved president's in our history. If we can overcome a Catholic president, I'm sure we can get through this, even though I've not heard or seen concrete evidence to prove that President Obama is, in fact, a muslim. And so what if he is? The United States was founded by the Puritans who were seeking religious safe-haven in an unsettled (unsettled to European standards) land. Why would we persecute a person, let alone our elected president, because of a religious belief?
At the moment, I may have to give up the point that he's not a legal US citizen. As far as I know, his birth certificate has not be produced or authenticated. I choose to believe that the powers at hand did their job and made sure of everything before they let him into office.
To those that are up-in-arms over the islamic mosque being built on Ground Zero, can we please get a few facts straight before continuing?
1. It is a community center, not a religious center.
2. The site where they want to build is not directly on Ground Zero, but a few blocks away.
3. Not all muslims are as awful as the ones who flew the planes into the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001. I happen to think of myself as a Christian and I really don't appreciate it when someone compares me to the Phelps' religious fanatics from Topeka, Kansas. As a Kansan, I try to make sure people know not everyone from Kansas is as messed up as the Phelps. We don't judge all black male athletes to be O.J. Simpson or Mike Tyson. We don't judge all Koreans to be the same as Kim Jung Il. The list goes on and on, but I happen to think that there are poor examples from every community in the world, but you don't judge every person to be the exact same way, do you? If you do, I'm surprised you ever leave the house or communicate with anyone on any given day.
4. Christians weren't the only people who died in the Twin Towers. That building was full of many different religions, spiritual beliefs, and atheists. Rather than being fussy that a group of muslims would like to build a community center a few blocks from Ground Zero, why don't we devote the whole place to every religious group out there? Each one could have the exact same space of ground to build on, or not, and use it as a tribute of the hope for world peace? I'm pretty sure John Lennon would be impressed. So would Jesus. Or Buddah. Or maybe no one would be, but it's a nice idea if you're an atheist.
5. Interchanging the term muslim for terrorist is not acceptable. Did the terrorists happen to muslim? Unfortunately, yes. Are all muslims as unstable as the terrorists? Fortunately, no. The christian community would be up in arms if this were being done to them. Continually interchanging muslim for terrorist is only perpetuating the hatred towards people who don't deserve it.
6. Telling the muslim community that they can't build community centers or mosques near Ground Zero, or in the state of Kentucky, is taking us back to the Japanese internment camps circa WWII. While we may not be physically deporting them to the crappiest bits of real estate in Arizona, telling them where they can or can't build is heading in that direction.
7. There is a separation of church and state. President Obama is to create and enact policies that he feels would make America better than it was, not to comment on what some religions are wanting to accomplish. Legislators have somewhat successfully been able to keep faith/religion/spirituality out of the laws. You cannot ask someone who is to make laws that are to govern every person from every walk of life in this nation to take a stand on something like this.
A number of years ago the Democrats had this idea of a thing called welfare and social security. Both were good ideas. Both need to be revamped. Both are being abused. Both have been used by the majority of our nation at one time or another. The health-care bill the President Obama has created and put into place is only going to help. Will it be perfect from the get go? No, nothing ever is. However, we are one of the last industrialized first-rate countries in the world who hasn't used it. Why is that? While this may go hand-in-hand with the people-need-to-be-responsible-for-themselves, I'd like to point out how the recent financial crisis has made people who are normally responsible-for-themselves not-so-responsible-for-themselves. Children who have lousy parents (regardless of socio-economic status) shouldn't be punished and go without basic health care. Adults who are working multiple jobs just to make ends meet while attending college (or not) shouldn't be punished and go without basic health care. Senior citizens who need thousands of dollars worth of prescriptions each month shouldn't be punished and go without basic health care. Health care is not a privilege, but a basic and fundamental right--like breathing. Yes, it will be abused, but what in this world isn't being abused these days? There will be ways to fix the abuse to the system, you just have to put it in place and figure it out as you go.
There are those who feel that the plans that President Obama has set forth aren't showing any success and want to abandon them for an immediate fix. When the foundation of your house has serious damage, you don't use duct tape to fix it, you invest in some serious construction to save it, or replace it--if it's even possible. Expecting the bailouts to save the economy (while, might I add, they are being used as bonuses for the CEO's and other various executives who are in charge of this mess) immediately is not a reasonable expectation. A food fight can last 15 minutes, but it will take hours to clean--especially when the carpet is soiled, the hardwood floors have been scratched, and the grout has some sort of sticky goo that is unidentifiable and even Simple Green can't get it off the floor. It took nearly seven years to get into the most recent recession, and expecting two full years to eradicate the situation is ludicrous. While President Obama had plans, I doubt even he knew the depths of which the recession would take the American community and those plans probably had to be tossed out for something else.
Probably the biggest issue that faces the Obama administration right now is the border between the US and Mexico. Should something have been done earlier? Yes. Should they be doing something now? Yes. What would you suggest? A giant fence or the Great Wall of the Southwest can be climbed, scaled, tunneled, or blown up. Opening up the border to everyone will only put a further burden on our economy as it is. Using our military resources just for the south is impractical. Allowing basic citizens monitor it themselves won't work because there will be no cohesion to who's let in and who's not. I think any reasonable suggestions should be entertained.
Just a thought....actually, it's a few thoughts:
1. Rather than throw temper-tantrums against your opposition (and this goes for both parties) why not act like adults? Shocking, I know! Consider this: When a child says, "This sucks!" it only further fuels the fire for you to think they're wrong and have no idea what is best for them. When a child uses their vocabulary, intellect, and rational reasoning skills to communicate that they are dissatisfied, you are more apt to listen. Republicans should use their vocabulary, intellect, and rational reasoning skills to communicate to the Democrats why they are upset with the laws that the Obama administration is trying to (or has) put into place. In return, the Democrats should behave similarly and continue on with the discussion at hand.
2. Support someone who has volunteered to clean up the shit storm that others before him left behind. (This also goes for both parties.) Democrats are not perfect. We leave behind messes, too. But rather than point out how it SHOULD be done, why not pitch in and help. Perhaps one of you out there has a good idea that can be used. Why not offer it up? I didn't know that newspaper and Windex cleans windows better than a rag and Windex until someone told me. Who knew? Same goes for this. To complain and throw fits that your house is a mess after a house-party does no good. Your guests should have cleaned up after themselves, but they didn't. You don't point out to the one or two guests (out of the 100 who attended) who are helping clean, that they're doing it all wrong. No. In real-life you thank them for sticking around to help. Actually, in real-life, you probably don't allow 100 people to screw up your house in the first place, but just go with it.
3. Relax. Our founding fathers put policies in place that regulate how laws are made and enacted. They did this because, well, they were smart and the general public is not. Have you ever noticed how everything has a natural rate? The opposite of summer is winter. The temperature between the two evens out. What makes you think the same thing won't happen with our great nation? The reason that it takes forever to get anything accomplished in this nation is because the founding fathers wanted us to really think about what it is we were going to call a law. Laws and beliefs are pretty strong words to be slinging around. They sound definite and inflexible, black and white with no possible hint of gray. Until they are actual laws and beliefs that everyone must adhere to, we should really just call them ideas or suggestions. So, relax. Everything will even itself out in the long run. If not, there's an upside: The world is supposed to end December 12, 2012, and you'll only have to live with things like this for a short while--if that's what you believe.
4. Learn to be patient. You need to give something the opportunity to work before you figure out that it won't. Let's entertain the ideas that our president has brought to the table. If they don't work, we can move to plan b and all we've lost is time. And to be honest, we would probably have lost that time to some other idea that didn't work. It's not as if you're really going anywhere. I mean, yes, you could move out of the country and become and expatriate, or perhaps you'll be leaving this world soon due to death, but whatever law is in place isn't really going to change any of that is it? If you're leaving the country for good, this single presidency isn't the real reason for it. And if you're dying, well, the law itself isn't going to cure you.
Currently drinking: Pumpkin Spice Latte
Currently eating: Horsey-cream cheese and turkey sandwich
Friday, October 22, 2010
Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice
Today is the first time it's felt like fall this year. Waking up to 43 degree weather outside at 7:15 this morning finally wore me down to put my flannel sheets and thermal blanket on the bed for the remainder of 2010. This is my absolute favorite time of year. I love to see the leaves turning from vibrant green to carmel, copper, orange, crimson, and brown. They way they crunch under my feet is a wonderful sound, only to be followed by scooping them up into a big pile and then jumping into them. Feeling the cool air against my skin reminds me of how nice it is to wrap up into sweaters, quilts, coats, and scarves or sit next to a fire in the evenings. Seeing and hearing the rain roll through town and add a sense of dreariness to the atmosphere makes me appreciate all of the wonders that mother nature is capable of producing at any given moment.
What this time of year really signifies for me is the sense of family and friends. The thing that I miss most about Kansas is my dearly, dearly loved ones who remain there. It's during this time of year that I would love to get together with my sister or best friend and drink hot chocolate while chit-chatting about life, love, and everything in between; come home and bake pumpkin bread or banana nut bread to give to my boyfriend or save for myself; to curl up with a homemade quilt and a good book next to the fire and spend a few hours lost in another world.
In a few weeks it will be Thanksgiving. This will be the third and final Thanksgiving that I will be spending without my biological family and it's somewhat bittersweet. Having friends who invite me into their homes, families, and hearts is such a blessing, that I feel that I will never be able to repay them the kindness they've shown me. My first Thanksgiving apart from my family was spent in Yuma. I cried when they called and wished me a happy Thanksgiving on my Momaceta's phone. The upside? I was in capri pants standing in Mexico to buy odds and ends. Last year was spent in Prescott Valley, Cherry, and Mayer. Baking three different types of cheesecake for each Thanksgiving was a little much, but I enjoyed the look on everyone's face when they took a bite of their homemade dessert. This year, I will be spending Thanksgiving in Mayer with my surrogate mother and father. This couple has done more for me than they will ever realize and I hope that I can share with them how much they mean to me during this last holiday season.
Just a thought....Why wait until the holiday season to show people how much you care when you can do it so much more often every day of the year?
Currently listening to: Mumford and Sons Sigh No More
Currently reading: Hector's Search for Happiness
What this time of year really signifies for me is the sense of family and friends. The thing that I miss most about Kansas is my dearly, dearly loved ones who remain there. It's during this time of year that I would love to get together with my sister or best friend and drink hot chocolate while chit-chatting about life, love, and everything in between; come home and bake pumpkin bread or banana nut bread to give to my boyfriend or save for myself; to curl up with a homemade quilt and a good book next to the fire and spend a few hours lost in another world.
In a few weeks it will be Thanksgiving. This will be the third and final Thanksgiving that I will be spending without my biological family and it's somewhat bittersweet. Having friends who invite me into their homes, families, and hearts is such a blessing, that I feel that I will never be able to repay them the kindness they've shown me. My first Thanksgiving apart from my family was spent in Yuma. I cried when they called and wished me a happy Thanksgiving on my Momaceta's phone. The upside? I was in capri pants standing in Mexico to buy odds and ends. Last year was spent in Prescott Valley, Cherry, and Mayer. Baking three different types of cheesecake for each Thanksgiving was a little much, but I enjoyed the look on everyone's face when they took a bite of their homemade dessert. This year, I will be spending Thanksgiving in Mayer with my surrogate mother and father. This couple has done more for me than they will ever realize and I hope that I can share with them how much they mean to me during this last holiday season.
Just a thought....Why wait until the holiday season to show people how much you care when you can do it so much more often every day of the year?
Currently listening to: Mumford and Sons Sigh No More
Currently reading: Hector's Search for Happiness
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