Time flies whether or not you are having fun. It has been 2 months since my last post. So much has happened, none of it particularly noteworthy.
Work has been up and down. Health care in Florida is fairly seasonal. Blame it on the snowbirds, or everyone having selective (not elective) surgeries - if you need a new hip, you NEED a new hip - but you can put it off for a long time if you can stand the pain. Whatever the phenomenon is, we are BUSY in the winter. Last year, one of the companies I worked for had 4 full time Physical Therapists, and 2 very busy per diem employees with a full time load, and we were still giving patients to contract companies, because the staff had all the overtime they could handle. Now, this same company has 2 full time and 2 per diem PT's, and none of us has a full case load. This is across the board - I have 5 jobs - only one of them is giving me patients, and I am not that busy. So what gives? In this crazy economy, health care is the one thing that is supposed to be stable, especially in the geriatric population. When I am slow, I usually run out and get a new job, because everyone will hire a per diem employee, even if they have no current need, especially this time of year - because they want to have coverage when the dam breaks.
At least I have time to spend with the family. In the last couple of months the Wild Child had a vendor's booth at the local Sunday Market of Seminole Heights. They moved the date because of weather, then it was freezing, and drizzly and damp all day, but she still did OK. Good enough to want to try again this month. (there are still calendars available)
Then it will be ON! Gymnastics season is about to slam into us. 2 meets per month, very few of them close to Tampa. Gym girl is now a solid level 7, she has almost all of her 8 skills, and they waffled on what she would compete, but I think she is more comfortable with perfecting her 8 skills while she competes 7 - so, go her. Back handsprings on the balance beam, and double back fly aways on the bar are unnerving for the momma - I'm happy with whatever she decides to do.
I have decided to take a certification course in the treatment of Lymphedema. It is 145 hours of independent study, then 8 straight days of classes in Orlando this October. After waiting for weeks to get my course materials in the mail, I was more than over-whelmed when they arrived. I huge text-book, like you you would expect for any college based science course, 2 Gigantic spiral bound manuals (really gigantic, not exaggerating), and 5 dvd's. This is just the supplemental portion of a mostly on-line course. Did I say overwhelmed? Plus, I am shocked to find out that I am old. My brain is losing all of those elastic/plastic qualities that I have depended on, that made didactic learning so incredibly easy for me when I was younger. My "study" habits have been pretty much read the material, maybe rewrite my notes, because I can't read my own writing, then never look at them again, 'cause I already got it. Not any more. I read it, write it, color it, watch the video, and it still all just looks like words on paper. Words that I understand when I read them individually, but when they are all strung together as part of a sentence, they lose all meaning.
I often make comments, especially after driving, or listening to the news that people are stupid. It has occurred to me that I, also, am in that category. ALL people are stupid. Maybe instead of bitching about it, I could make more allowances, because it is really nice when people react kindly when I do stupid things. Stupid is inevitable, Mean is a choice. My New Year's Resolution will be to choose "Mean" less often.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Friday, October 8, 2010
Smooth Sailing
I have been happily bustling around in "mom mode" lately. The weather is gorgeous, and there is enough chill in the air that the house is starting to smell like a spice rack. Pumpkin. Pumpkin. Pumpkin. Pumpkin scones. Pumpkin cream cheese muffins. Pumpkin pancakes (with caramel syrup). I LOVE October. I've sort of cleaned up the back yard, so it does not look as much like the aftermath of last years forty freezes - ok, there were only five, but they were hard freezes and all right in a row. I kept waiting for the hisbiscus to come back, but it never happened, and I have finally faced up to some of the losses that I was hoping weren't real.
The upside to all of that is this weekend's annual fall plant sale at USF. Yay. I will actually have fresh herbs to cook with again. Lemon Balm tea cookies in the very near future. We even had a fire and roasted s'mores last weekend.
The girl child is in the middle of a very intense school project. I will not rant about puppy mills yet. When her presentation is done, we will post on YouTube. We have spent the last week inundated with some of the saddest images and stories I have ever seen. She is very dedicated to this project, and what little I've seen of it is VERY good. We spent Saturday at the saddest place on earth (the local pound), getting lots of footage. Then I went with the girls while they interviewed a woman that has been involved in several puppy mill rescues. Lots to learn. Kind of shocking how cruel and insensitive people can be.
Work is FINALLY starting to speed up. I was almost considering a full time placement again (ugh). Now I'm back to happily working my 5 jobs. Only two of them are actually giving me patients right now, but I have options, and enough patients to keep me mostly out of trouble.
I'm hoping to pick up the 2011 Wild Child Pics Calendars today. If so, the pre-orders will be out in the mail by Monday. Go Photo Girl!
The upside to all of that is this weekend's annual fall plant sale at USF. Yay. I will actually have fresh herbs to cook with again. Lemon Balm tea cookies in the very near future. We even had a fire and roasted s'mores last weekend.
The girl child is in the middle of a very intense school project. I will not rant about puppy mills yet. When her presentation is done, we will post on YouTube. We have spent the last week inundated with some of the saddest images and stories I have ever seen. She is very dedicated to this project, and what little I've seen of it is VERY good. We spent Saturday at the saddest place on earth (the local pound), getting lots of footage. Then I went with the girls while they interviewed a woman that has been involved in several puppy mill rescues. Lots to learn. Kind of shocking how cruel and insensitive people can be.
Work is FINALLY starting to speed up. I was almost considering a full time placement again (ugh). Now I'm back to happily working my 5 jobs. Only two of them are actually giving me patients right now, but I have options, and enough patients to keep me mostly out of trouble.
I'm hoping to pick up the 2011 Wild Child Pics Calendars today. If so, the pre-orders will be out in the mail by Monday. Go Photo Girl!
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Poverty and Posturing
This going to be convoluted, as my thoughts on the subject are still not set. Recently an article was floating around face book from a young doctor on a rant about the cultural problems with health care/poverty in the United States. I googled him, to find a more stable link to refer to and the first up was Snopes.com, proving that yes, indeed, this letter is attributed appropriately to Dr. Starner Jones. Not that it matters in anyway who wrote this. From the comments I saw - the FB world is largely in agreement, and the lone dissenting voice was berated for his bleeding heart.
I agree with Dr. Jones, that it is a cultural problem. He points out one example of a young woman in expensive clothes with an expensive phone, with expensive vices, that is on Medicaid, and how our culture encourages these people to live off the system, and not take care of themselves. In FB many healthcare providers jumped in on the rant. Many examples. All of them about how these people have no respect for our hard earned monies. One dentist talked about a medicaid patient that put out $2,000 cash for a gold grill for his teeth. Deplorable. Despicable.
Let's tackle the expensive vice problem first. Alcohol, tobacco, and drug use are not only the vices of the very poor. These are horribly expensive, very damaging habits that cross all lines of socioeconomic status. I did not see a single rant from healthcare providers that have to care for older COPD patients (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a basket term for all the things that slowly kill the lungs of smokers) on Medicare. This is expensive, largely self-inflicted, and covered by - oh no - don't say it - a Government Sponsored Insurance program - one that your grandma is probably on, one that is paying for the cost of my Mother's lung cancer and COPD care, one that my tax dollars pay for. For those that don't have Medicare yet, but have insurance, these bad-vice related problems are paid for from ever-increasing cost of insurance premiums. It is illegal for the insurance company to charge you more because you are a smoker and drink like a fish, so to cover the cost of your health care, they raise my premiums, and everyone else's. Darn smokers - I'm paying for the poor through Medicaid, the old through Medicare, and everyone else by out of control, crazy high insurance premiums. I DON'T SMOKE.
And Fast Food. How can these people eat that artery clogging, blood pressure elevating drek day after day? Because it is cheap. And convenient. And advertised to be nutritious. And buying, cooking and cleaning fresh, healthy food is expensive. It requires time, and education. A lot of my middle class, insurance packing friends, deplore the "fast food" culture while fixing sodium heavy, fat filled, chemically enhanced pre-packaged, expensive "meals" for their families. Of course, they don't walk 3 blocks to the bus stop, take 2 buses and 45 minutes to get to the grocery store that is barely 2 miles away, haul all the groceries you can carry back, then stuff them into the little tiny refrigerator/freezer, then prepare them. It is way easier to hit the McDonald's on the corner. And there is one. On every corner.
Yes, but what about those spendthrift "poor," using my money to fix they're sniffly noses while talking away on their expensive cell phones. Don't I get to rant about that?
I think most of the people that were commenting on the article in FB were gainfully employed, and most likely have employee sponsored healthcare. I'm assuming. Never a good premise for an argument - but as it is my blog, I get to create my antagonists in whatever image I choose. Even if you see the money coming out of your check, it is difficult to really understand the costs associated with insurance in this country. My husband and I pay for insurance. We found the best plan that we could afford, based on what was important to us. We are relatively healthy. So we really need emergency care, and follow up care for any such emergency. We have a $7,500 deductible, which means for non-emergencies, we pay everything, every year, up to $7,500/per person. To put it bluntly, we pay over $500/month for a family of four for the security of knowing that if I slip off a ladder and hurt myself, we are not going to have $30,000 in medical bills to deal with while I am out of work. We still pay for all doctor visits and testing out of pocket. We still only go to the doctor if death is imminent. Our last insurance plan had "well care," so we did not have to pay for healthy check-ups, but the premiums were almost $200/month more.
So lets take this into the world of those slacker "poor." The thing with insurance, is that you have to pay for it. Consistently. There are no allowances for people that are late on payments, you don't pay, you aren't covered. People with unreliable incomes, even if they are working a little, are not going to be able to budget $500/month for a healthcare plan that is not in anyway helpful to them if they get a flu or sprain an ankle. I have been very poor. When you struggle for every little thing, trying to pay your bills, put food on the table, etc. those rare instances of "found money," you know, when money appears that is not in your budget - the extra check 2x year when you budget for 2 checks a month, winning $50 from a scratch off lottery ticket - that extra money is a little mini vacation. Yeah - you could put it away to pay for 1/2 of your kid's next doctor's visit - but how are you going to come up with the other half? or you could spend it on those cool shoes you've been wanting. What the heck - I deserve a little somethin' somethin' for working so hard feeding all these kids, wipin' these snotty noses, picking up after that drunkin' man. I'm gettin' me those shoes. or Whatever. The one thing we know is that the money is not consistent, and saving it for 3 months, to hope to get enough money to pay for one month of insurance, that won't even pay for a doctor's visit is not an option.
I still agree that this is a cultural problem, but it is bigger, more pervasive, and subtle than my usual rant against the entitlement culture that is being showcased here. The biggest problem that I see is largely the blame of the middle class. We are a society that lives beyond our means and outside of our budgets because we love and value status. We live in America, where everyone is equal. Our kids go to school and everyone is carrying Vera Bradley bags, cool cell phones, designer clothes. We can't afford to keep up with all of that, so we buy on credit cards, shift things around, figure it out, because it is IMPORTANT. Different families have different ways of working it out. Some people work themselves to burn out with multiple jobs, in this economy, that is very hard, finding one job is sometimes a struggle. Some go into deeper debt on credit cards, take advantage of the reduced interest rate and slow foreclosure rules from the banks, hoping things will get better before they lose the house. Some turn to older, more fiscally responsible family members. I actually know a family that made sure that all four of their kids had the iPhone when it first came out. Not something I would condone even if I could afford it. This family was consistently borrowing from the grandparents to pay mortgage. Of course, their dirty little secret didn't end up in a medical record to be ridiculed on face book.
So when the very poor take steps to look like everyone else - this is America, we are entitled to equality - we jump all over them because we have to foot the bill for their healthcare. If we weren't doing that, we wouldn't have to go so far into debt to look like people that are significantly better off than we are. This is a significant cultural issue. We live in a society that values "image" above basic health. Do not think for a minute that this is a cultural crime of the very poor. If as a society, we valued "people" over "status," we would have fewer Medicaid recipients hanging out in the ER wearing designer jeans, fewer healthcare workers that notice the brands they wear, and we may actually have fewer emergency room visits for things that could have been fixed if we put our money toward healthier living, instead of keeping up with the Montgomery's.
I agree with Dr. Jones, that it is a cultural problem. He points out one example of a young woman in expensive clothes with an expensive phone, with expensive vices, that is on Medicaid, and how our culture encourages these people to live off the system, and not take care of themselves. In FB many healthcare providers jumped in on the rant. Many examples. All of them about how these people have no respect for our hard earned monies. One dentist talked about a medicaid patient that put out $2,000 cash for a gold grill for his teeth. Deplorable. Despicable.
Let's tackle the expensive vice problem first. Alcohol, tobacco, and drug use are not only the vices of the very poor. These are horribly expensive, very damaging habits that cross all lines of socioeconomic status. I did not see a single rant from healthcare providers that have to care for older COPD patients (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a basket term for all the things that slowly kill the lungs of smokers) on Medicare. This is expensive, largely self-inflicted, and covered by - oh no - don't say it - a Government Sponsored Insurance program - one that your grandma is probably on, one that is paying for the cost of my Mother's lung cancer and COPD care, one that my tax dollars pay for. For those that don't have Medicare yet, but have insurance, these bad-vice related problems are paid for from ever-increasing cost of insurance premiums. It is illegal for the insurance company to charge you more because you are a smoker and drink like a fish, so to cover the cost of your health care, they raise my premiums, and everyone else's. Darn smokers - I'm paying for the poor through Medicaid, the old through Medicare, and everyone else by out of control, crazy high insurance premiums. I DON'T SMOKE.
And Fast Food. How can these people eat that artery clogging, blood pressure elevating drek day after day? Because it is cheap. And convenient. And advertised to be nutritious. And buying, cooking and cleaning fresh, healthy food is expensive. It requires time, and education. A lot of my middle class, insurance packing friends, deplore the "fast food" culture while fixing sodium heavy, fat filled, chemically enhanced pre-packaged, expensive "meals" for their families. Of course, they don't walk 3 blocks to the bus stop, take 2 buses and 45 minutes to get to the grocery store that is barely 2 miles away, haul all the groceries you can carry back, then stuff them into the little tiny refrigerator/freezer, then prepare them. It is way easier to hit the McDonald's on the corner. And there is one. On every corner.
Yes, but what about those spendthrift "poor," using my money to fix they're sniffly noses while talking away on their expensive cell phones. Don't I get to rant about that?
I think most of the people that were commenting on the article in FB were gainfully employed, and most likely have employee sponsored healthcare. I'm assuming. Never a good premise for an argument - but as it is my blog, I get to create my antagonists in whatever image I choose. Even if you see the money coming out of your check, it is difficult to really understand the costs associated with insurance in this country. My husband and I pay for insurance. We found the best plan that we could afford, based on what was important to us. We are relatively healthy. So we really need emergency care, and follow up care for any such emergency. We have a $7,500 deductible, which means for non-emergencies, we pay everything, every year, up to $7,500/per person. To put it bluntly, we pay over $500/month for a family of four for the security of knowing that if I slip off a ladder and hurt myself, we are not going to have $30,000 in medical bills to deal with while I am out of work. We still pay for all doctor visits and testing out of pocket. We still only go to the doctor if death is imminent. Our last insurance plan had "well care," so we did not have to pay for healthy check-ups, but the premiums were almost $200/month more.
So lets take this into the world of those slacker "poor." The thing with insurance, is that you have to pay for it. Consistently. There are no allowances for people that are late on payments, you don't pay, you aren't covered. People with unreliable incomes, even if they are working a little, are not going to be able to budget $500/month for a healthcare plan that is not in anyway helpful to them if they get a flu or sprain an ankle. I have been very poor. When you struggle for every little thing, trying to pay your bills, put food on the table, etc. those rare instances of "found money," you know, when money appears that is not in your budget - the extra check 2x year when you budget for 2 checks a month, winning $50 from a scratch off lottery ticket - that extra money is a little mini vacation. Yeah - you could put it away to pay for 1/2 of your kid's next doctor's visit - but how are you going to come up with the other half? or you could spend it on those cool shoes you've been wanting. What the heck - I deserve a little somethin' somethin' for working so hard feeding all these kids, wipin' these snotty noses, picking up after that drunkin' man. I'm gettin' me those shoes. or Whatever. The one thing we know is that the money is not consistent, and saving it for 3 months, to hope to get enough money to pay for one month of insurance, that won't even pay for a doctor's visit is not an option.
I still agree that this is a cultural problem, but it is bigger, more pervasive, and subtle than my usual rant against the entitlement culture that is being showcased here. The biggest problem that I see is largely the blame of the middle class. We are a society that lives beyond our means and outside of our budgets because we love and value status. We live in America, where everyone is equal. Our kids go to school and everyone is carrying Vera Bradley bags, cool cell phones, designer clothes. We can't afford to keep up with all of that, so we buy on credit cards, shift things around, figure it out, because it is IMPORTANT. Different families have different ways of working it out. Some people work themselves to burn out with multiple jobs, in this economy, that is very hard, finding one job is sometimes a struggle. Some go into deeper debt on credit cards, take advantage of the reduced interest rate and slow foreclosure rules from the banks, hoping things will get better before they lose the house. Some turn to older, more fiscally responsible family members. I actually know a family that made sure that all four of their kids had the iPhone when it first came out. Not something I would condone even if I could afford it. This family was consistently borrowing from the grandparents to pay mortgage. Of course, their dirty little secret didn't end up in a medical record to be ridiculed on face book.
So when the very poor take steps to look like everyone else - this is America, we are entitled to equality - we jump all over them because we have to foot the bill for their healthcare. If we weren't doing that, we wouldn't have to go so far into debt to look like people that are significantly better off than we are. This is a significant cultural issue. We live in a society that values "image" above basic health. Do not think for a minute that this is a cultural crime of the very poor. If as a society, we valued "people" over "status," we would have fewer Medicaid recipients hanging out in the ER wearing designer jeans, fewer healthcare workers that notice the brands they wear, and we may actually have fewer emergency room visits for things that could have been fixed if we put our money toward healthier living, instead of keeping up with the Montgomery's.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Bearing Arms
As my daughter approaches her 13th birthday, I realize that there are some core family experiences that I have unintentionally denied my daughter. Things that were so common in my life, that I am horrified to think that she is nearly a teen-ager and she has not yet faced responsibilities that were common-place to me at a much younger age. She has cooked meals, but will not even touch raw meat - kind of goes without saying that she has not plucked a chicken, or milked a cow. What really rankles my family values, and puts her behind the curve of the kids of my childhood friends?
She has never shot a gun.
I had my hunter's safety permit at the age of 8, had already started shooting a little before that. I own the little bolt action, single shot .22 rifle that everyone in my family learned to shoot with. Dad learned at the age of 6. When we moved to the farm, we kept a loaded shotgun at every door of the house. My mom was determined that no predators would get her "babies." This is a weird dynamic, as "predators" included raccoons and owls and hawks. I can no longer conceive a place in my head wear shooting a hawk is OK, but we are talking about my childhood environs. By the age of 10, I was not allowed to go for long walks without a gun and a dog. Our chickens ran loose on 80 acres of land, sometimes Mom would gather them from their roosts at night, but more often, butchering day was also target practice. We knew which young roosters were on the block for the day, and we set out with our 22 rifles, the only rule was that it had to be a head shot.
It wasn't that my family was "fringe," everyone I knew hunted. I did not know that gun racks were not standard in pick-ups until I moved to Florida. Opening day of hunting season was a school holiday, no one, kids or teachers, were going to show up anyway. And during deer season, almost everyone brought guns to school so they did not have to run home before heading to the woods. I'm not much of a hunter; not that I am opposed. I honestly feel that a quick end to a wild life, with no waste of the animal's parts is better for the animal, and the human consumer, than the horrible way we industrialize meat in this country - but that is another rant. I am way too antsy, noisy to be good on a stand, and not a good enough shot to hunt while "pushing." But, in my world, hiking was a rare phenomenon, and hunting was a socially acceptable way to get out in nature.
Then I moved to the south. I went hunting once. Completely different - I had never used a shotgun for deer before. Out west we had long range rifles, lots of open country, and clear views of anything we were pointing at. In the south, we have thick woods, low visibility, and crazy rednecks shooting at noises. OK - I realize that all parts of the country have crazy drunk rednecks shooting at noises, but my dad ran a very tight camp. No body drank until the guns were put away, and no one pulled a trigger without a clear head shot, anything else was a waste of meat.
Now we get into the arms debate. Having spent most of my adult life in a "big city," I get a lot of the fear around guns. I also feel that much of that fear is media and politics driven. Our founding fathers did not put the 2nd amendment in as an after thought. I do not believe that a couple of centuries ago the New World was an Utopian society of no violence. In fact, I would hazard to guess that violence was more prevalent, and more personal. Oftentimes, the pro-arms camp talk about self-protection. What if my family is threatened by a home invasion? I must protect myself. This is an important argument. But the key reason we have the 2nd amendment is to stand as a populace militia against the dictatorial rule of a hostile government. Wow, pop that one around a few NRA conventions and they might lose the political support that they have.
But aren't guns dangerous? of course they are. But so are cars, and boats, and hammers and power tools, and the way I use scissors. So why the big debate? We have a moderately dangerous tool, with constitutional backing, and it is a constant freak session of rant on both sides. Why? It is the emotional element. The romanticizing of gun related tragedies. Accidental death, poetic suicide (The Highway Man comes to mind), heartless murder, mass killings. All of these things have happened with other tools, but none have the emotional impact of gun-related violence. In these incidences we blame the gun almost as much as the killer. It is never the poison's fault, or the bomb's, or the hammer's.
Very few people question the right of anyone to own a car. Can't drive one without a license. License indicates education, some level of competency, and in Florida, you have to have insurance. It is along these lines that make me fairly comfortable with most of the gun control laws. I've been in the woods with idiots, it would be nice to know there was training involved. I don't think we need more laws. I think we need more education. Teaching Gun Safety in schools would be my favorite option. I can't imagine that I would get any political backing, but seriously, if you want people to understand something, respect it, and treat it properly, registration and punishment are not nearly as effective as good old-fashioned training. I would love to see the media handle gun-related violence like all other forms. Yes, mention that a gun was used, but don't do a million back stories on gun violence, gun control debates, and unrelated tragedies, just report the facts.
What about the whole licensing for use idea? I did compare gun use with car use - and we all think licensing is great for cars. This gets sticky. We have a constitutional RIGHT to own guns - and walk around with them for that matter, but I'm really not condoning that. I think that licensing is an invasion on the essence of this amendment. We have the right to pursue domestic tranquility - but no one is seeking licensure for happiness. When something is a Right, it needs to be accessible to all, without yards of red tape and coughing up personal information. In my opinion, we are back to the education thing. More information, fewer mistakes. And oh - yeah - personal responsibility, we need lots of that. I have no problem with harsh penalties for crimes involving guns. We have a right to keep them, not threaten or kill innocent people with them.
I use to be against hand guns. Not politically, just personally. The only real use for a hand gun is shooting people (or hog hunting, but I did not know that then), and I was really uncomfortable with that. Then I spent my first weekend of school in Miami right after Andrew. I had my concealed weapons permit and first handgun (a Walther PPK .380, if your interested) by the end of the month. That gun was by my side, loaded and ready, everytime I drove anywhere alone at night in Miami. Once I was done with school, I let the permit lapse, and haven't even taken it apart and cleaned it in 13 years.
I still have no use for, and am a little freaked out by the assault weapons collection phenomenon. The people I know that have them are occasionally on a political fringe, but are completely careful about the safety, maintenance and use of their guns. If any of these people go on a spree, it will not be an accident; but, it will be significantly less messy than a car bomb. Remember that the political and constitutional reason for allowing these people to keep their guns are to prepare for an event that most of us cannot if imagine as reality. Of course, every time we get a political regime change, a different group of people imagine it vividly and loudly.
So what to do about the horrible mom dilemma? I am personally little rusty on the mechanics, and very particular about who I would allow to take my daughter out shooting, and frankly wouldn't even know where to take her. I friend of mine, a collector and expert marksman, has offered - its just a matter of getting her over to the other side of the state. And she is pretty excited about it - just to have the experience, and understanding, and lose some of that morbid fascination and fear that our society builds up over the issue. I keep thinking when I am home I should drag my brother off to the woods with the appropriate guns. Or my sister, who is probably the best shot in the family. It will happen, just not sure when.
She has never shot a gun.
I had my hunter's safety permit at the age of 8, had already started shooting a little before that. I own the little bolt action, single shot .22 rifle that everyone in my family learned to shoot with. Dad learned at the age of 6. When we moved to the farm, we kept a loaded shotgun at every door of the house. My mom was determined that no predators would get her "babies." This is a weird dynamic, as "predators" included raccoons and owls and hawks. I can no longer conceive a place in my head wear shooting a hawk is OK, but we are talking about my childhood environs. By the age of 10, I was not allowed to go for long walks without a gun and a dog. Our chickens ran loose on 80 acres of land, sometimes Mom would gather them from their roosts at night, but more often, butchering day was also target practice. We knew which young roosters were on the block for the day, and we set out with our 22 rifles, the only rule was that it had to be a head shot.
It wasn't that my family was "fringe," everyone I knew hunted. I did not know that gun racks were not standard in pick-ups until I moved to Florida. Opening day of hunting season was a school holiday, no one, kids or teachers, were going to show up anyway. And during deer season, almost everyone brought guns to school so they did not have to run home before heading to the woods. I'm not much of a hunter; not that I am opposed. I honestly feel that a quick end to a wild life, with no waste of the animal's parts is better for the animal, and the human consumer, than the horrible way we industrialize meat in this country - but that is another rant. I am way too antsy, noisy to be good on a stand, and not a good enough shot to hunt while "pushing." But, in my world, hiking was a rare phenomenon, and hunting was a socially acceptable way to get out in nature.
Then I moved to the south. I went hunting once. Completely different - I had never used a shotgun for deer before. Out west we had long range rifles, lots of open country, and clear views of anything we were pointing at. In the south, we have thick woods, low visibility, and crazy rednecks shooting at noises. OK - I realize that all parts of the country have crazy drunk rednecks shooting at noises, but my dad ran a very tight camp. No body drank until the guns were put away, and no one pulled a trigger without a clear head shot, anything else was a waste of meat.
Now we get into the arms debate. Having spent most of my adult life in a "big city," I get a lot of the fear around guns. I also feel that much of that fear is media and politics driven. Our founding fathers did not put the 2nd amendment in as an after thought. I do not believe that a couple of centuries ago the New World was an Utopian society of no violence. In fact, I would hazard to guess that violence was more prevalent, and more personal. Oftentimes, the pro-arms camp talk about self-protection. What if my family is threatened by a home invasion? I must protect myself. This is an important argument. But the key reason we have the 2nd amendment is to stand as a populace militia against the dictatorial rule of a hostile government. Wow, pop that one around a few NRA conventions and they might lose the political support that they have.
But aren't guns dangerous? of course they are. But so are cars, and boats, and hammers and power tools, and the way I use scissors. So why the big debate? We have a moderately dangerous tool, with constitutional backing, and it is a constant freak session of rant on both sides. Why? It is the emotional element. The romanticizing of gun related tragedies. Accidental death, poetic suicide (The Highway Man comes to mind), heartless murder, mass killings. All of these things have happened with other tools, but none have the emotional impact of gun-related violence. In these incidences we blame the gun almost as much as the killer. It is never the poison's fault, or the bomb's, or the hammer's.
Very few people question the right of anyone to own a car. Can't drive one without a license. License indicates education, some level of competency, and in Florida, you have to have insurance. It is along these lines that make me fairly comfortable with most of the gun control laws. I've been in the woods with idiots, it would be nice to know there was training involved. I don't think we need more laws. I think we need more education. Teaching Gun Safety in schools would be my favorite option. I can't imagine that I would get any political backing, but seriously, if you want people to understand something, respect it, and treat it properly, registration and punishment are not nearly as effective as good old-fashioned training. I would love to see the media handle gun-related violence like all other forms. Yes, mention that a gun was used, but don't do a million back stories on gun violence, gun control debates, and unrelated tragedies, just report the facts.
What about the whole licensing for use idea? I did compare gun use with car use - and we all think licensing is great for cars. This gets sticky. We have a constitutional RIGHT to own guns - and walk around with them for that matter, but I'm really not condoning that. I think that licensing is an invasion on the essence of this amendment. We have the right to pursue domestic tranquility - but no one is seeking licensure for happiness. When something is a Right, it needs to be accessible to all, without yards of red tape and coughing up personal information. In my opinion, we are back to the education thing. More information, fewer mistakes. And oh - yeah - personal responsibility, we need lots of that. I have no problem with harsh penalties for crimes involving guns. We have a right to keep them, not threaten or kill innocent people with them.
I use to be against hand guns. Not politically, just personally. The only real use for a hand gun is shooting people (or hog hunting, but I did not know that then), and I was really uncomfortable with that. Then I spent my first weekend of school in Miami right after Andrew. I had my concealed weapons permit and first handgun (a Walther PPK .380, if your interested) by the end of the month. That gun was by my side, loaded and ready, everytime I drove anywhere alone at night in Miami. Once I was done with school, I let the permit lapse, and haven't even taken it apart and cleaned it in 13 years.
I still have no use for, and am a little freaked out by the assault weapons collection phenomenon. The people I know that have them are occasionally on a political fringe, but are completely careful about the safety, maintenance and use of their guns. If any of these people go on a spree, it will not be an accident; but, it will be significantly less messy than a car bomb. Remember that the political and constitutional reason for allowing these people to keep their guns are to prepare for an event that most of us cannot if imagine as reality. Of course, every time we get a political regime change, a different group of people imagine it vividly and loudly.
So what to do about the horrible mom dilemma? I am personally little rusty on the mechanics, and very particular about who I would allow to take my daughter out shooting, and frankly wouldn't even know where to take her. I friend of mine, a collector and expert marksman, has offered - its just a matter of getting her over to the other side of the state. And she is pretty excited about it - just to have the experience, and understanding, and lose some of that morbid fascination and fear that our society builds up over the issue. I keep thinking when I am home I should drag my brother off to the woods with the appropriate guns. Or my sister, who is probably the best shot in the family. It will happen, just not sure when.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Mosqued Identity
As we ascend the social ladder, viciousness wears a thicker mask." -
Erich Fromm
I don't subscribe to the local papers, I watch a little BBC, CNN, listen to the radio, check in on my favorite web news site daily. Yesterday on my morning jog with the puppies, I noticed that the Tribune had put out teaser papers along the street to try to get people to subscribe. As I was jogging by I could not help noticing the headline: "Mosque near, not AT Ground Zero." Seriously - it was front page news, with a bold headline. Where, exactly, has the Trib been for the last 2 months? And they still didn't get it right. It is not a Mosque. It is a community center. It is not a multi-billion dollar enterprise being funded by foreign terrorist groups. It is a multi-billion dollar proposal being supported by a community.
This has been one of those things that I watch in the media, abhorred at the crazy rhetoric being bounced around. More than a little shocked at the twisted turn politicians are taking. We're still in America, right? Our political leaders are still bound to uphold the tenets of the constitution, right? Elected officials are to protect the rights of all citizens, right? If none of that has changed - what is going on? How is the transformation of an empty building in Manhattan, in a neighborhood that is full of empty buildings into a community center that will provide a public place for gathering, playing (basketball courts and rec areas planned), and yes, prayer, a political issue? Would we care if it was a Jewish Center? a Mormon Center? a Catholic Center? a non-demonitational Mega Church Center? Baptist? Cavalry? Hindu? Wiccan? - OK, the last one might get some flack.
The World Trade Centers were bombed by a terrorist group that use Islamic fundamental rhetoric to incite mayhem, instill loyalty in their followers and fear in the hearts of non-Muslims world wide. In no way do these people speak, or act, for all Muslims. And they certainly do not speak for Islamic-Americans. Timothy McVey was Catholic, his act of "Home-grown" terrorism did not filter into hatred of all Catholics. I wonder if it would have been different if a foreign, Irish Catholic, terrorist group had master-minded the Oklahoma City bombings? After Pearl Harbor, thousands of innocent Japanese Americans were rounded up and placed in detention facilities. Will we not learn from this?
Separation of Church and State is my favorite principal of our constitution - but it is not an amendment. It is wrapped up pretty firmly in the first amendment - you know, the free speech one: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances." The camps screaming that they can speak out against this non-mosque because of the 1st amendment have no concept that they are trampling all over the 1st amendment rights of others. I get that public figures, particularly media pundits have a right, a constitutional right, to speak against this thing. I also get that our constitution allows freedom of all speech, even untruthful speech. If Dr. Laura wants to drop the N-word on a broadcast, and face the wrath of the public and her producers, that is her business; but, when politicians weigh in with venomous words and misleading "facts," we have a very different problem.
Political figures, when acting in their official capacity - which, face it, is anytime they are in public - exercise free speech to voice personal opinion that does not uphold our constitution, I feel like they violate their station, and my trust. Pundits berated Obama for his support of the non-mosque. How could he do anything different? He is the highest elected official in our country - what right has he to any POLITICAL opinion that does not support the founding principals of this great nation? When he later said that he did not necessarily support the construction of this non-mosque, only their RIGHT to move forward, people jumped all over him for being weak. How is that weak? I want politicians that will support my rights, even if they don't share my values
I almost understand the mob-mentality that makes a witch-hunt seem like the only viable option - but will we never learn? We are still scared, and hurting, Almost ten years later, blaming the wrong people have cost us thousands of American lives, and disrupted our integrity as a country. Approximately 10% of the victims of 911 were Muslim-Americans. They are not a grieving community, they are part of our grieving community. Generations of Islamic Americans have enriched our culture and our country. In large and medium sized cities across America these people stand shoulder to shoulder with us. They are Teachers, Coaches, Doctors, Shopkeepers, garbage collectors, active members of our police force and military, ambulance drivers and lab techs. You probably do not know who most of them are - it is not necessarily safe for them to be open about their religion. How sad is it that a country that prides itself on religious freedom has created a culture where your coworker can't feel comfortable starting a conversation about family gatherings at Ramadan while you prattle on about your Christmas dinner?
Erich Fromm
I don't subscribe to the local papers, I watch a little BBC, CNN, listen to the radio, check in on my favorite web news site daily. Yesterday on my morning jog with the puppies, I noticed that the Tribune had put out teaser papers along the street to try to get people to subscribe. As I was jogging by I could not help noticing the headline: "Mosque near, not AT Ground Zero." Seriously - it was front page news, with a bold headline. Where, exactly, has the Trib been for the last 2 months? And they still didn't get it right. It is not a Mosque. It is a community center. It is not a multi-billion dollar enterprise being funded by foreign terrorist groups. It is a multi-billion dollar proposal being supported by a community.
This has been one of those things that I watch in the media, abhorred at the crazy rhetoric being bounced around. More than a little shocked at the twisted turn politicians are taking. We're still in America, right? Our political leaders are still bound to uphold the tenets of the constitution, right? Elected officials are to protect the rights of all citizens, right? If none of that has changed - what is going on? How is the transformation of an empty building in Manhattan, in a neighborhood that is full of empty buildings into a community center that will provide a public place for gathering, playing (basketball courts and rec areas planned), and yes, prayer, a political issue? Would we care if it was a Jewish Center? a Mormon Center? a Catholic Center? a non-demonitational Mega Church Center? Baptist? Cavalry? Hindu? Wiccan? - OK, the last one might get some flack.
The World Trade Centers were bombed by a terrorist group that use Islamic fundamental rhetoric to incite mayhem, instill loyalty in their followers and fear in the hearts of non-Muslims world wide. In no way do these people speak, or act, for all Muslims. And they certainly do not speak for Islamic-Americans. Timothy McVey was Catholic, his act of "Home-grown" terrorism did not filter into hatred of all Catholics. I wonder if it would have been different if a foreign, Irish Catholic, terrorist group had master-minded the Oklahoma City bombings? After Pearl Harbor, thousands of innocent Japanese Americans were rounded up and placed in detention facilities. Will we not learn from this?
Separation of Church and State is my favorite principal of our constitution - but it is not an amendment. It is wrapped up pretty firmly in the first amendment - you know, the free speech one: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances." The camps screaming that they can speak out against this non-mosque because of the 1st amendment have no concept that they are trampling all over the 1st amendment rights of others. I get that public figures, particularly media pundits have a right, a constitutional right, to speak against this thing. I also get that our constitution allows freedom of all speech, even untruthful speech. If Dr. Laura wants to drop the N-word on a broadcast, and face the wrath of the public and her producers, that is her business; but, when politicians weigh in with venomous words and misleading "facts," we have a very different problem.
Political figures, when acting in their official capacity - which, face it, is anytime they are in public - exercise free speech to voice personal opinion that does not uphold our constitution, I feel like they violate their station, and my trust. Pundits berated Obama for his support of the non-mosque. How could he do anything different? He is the highest elected official in our country - what right has he to any POLITICAL opinion that does not support the founding principals of this great nation? When he later said that he did not necessarily support the construction of this non-mosque, only their RIGHT to move forward, people jumped all over him for being weak. How is that weak? I want politicians that will support my rights, even if they don't share my values
I almost understand the mob-mentality that makes a witch-hunt seem like the only viable option - but will we never learn? We are still scared, and hurting, Almost ten years later, blaming the wrong people have cost us thousands of American lives, and disrupted our integrity as a country. Approximately 10% of the victims of 911 were Muslim-Americans. They are not a grieving community, they are part of our grieving community. Generations of Islamic Americans have enriched our culture and our country. In large and medium sized cities across America these people stand shoulder to shoulder with us. They are Teachers, Coaches, Doctors, Shopkeepers, garbage collectors, active members of our police force and military, ambulance drivers and lab techs. You probably do not know who most of them are - it is not necessarily safe for them to be open about their religion. How sad is it that a country that prides itself on religious freedom has created a culture where your coworker can't feel comfortable starting a conversation about family gatherings at Ramadan while you prattle on about your Christmas dinner?
Monday, July 26, 2010
Skimming the Colony
Indian Shores Beach is home to a black skimmer colony. Apparently the only one remaining in Pinellas County after a helicopter associated with filming a Sea-Doo ad scared another colony off their nest in Shell Key earlier this year. As a side rant - Pinellas has miles of beautiful beaches - why in the world would county officials authorize the filming of an advertisement on the shores of a wildlife preserve?
Yesterday I volunteered with the Audobon society to help protect these little critters from being trampelled by tourists, and yes, also educate the public about WHY you shouldn't let your 4 year old chase the babies. Black skimmers are a threatened species, they only nest on sandy beaches, and Florida's economy is largely based on public access to our beautiful beaches. Hmmmmmm - recipe for disaster, no wonder they are threatened. Sometime last November the Wild Child brought home pictures of these birds - I just thought it was a really ugly seagull, had no idea that they had environmental import, but after spending yesterday being a "Bird Steward," they are my new favorite sea bird.
First - the babies are adorable, little balls of irreverent fluff that manage to disregard their parent's instruction on a regular basis - "what? stay in the scrape where it is cool and the mommy can shade me? when there are feet to dodge and waves to catch?" not having it. Scrapes are shallow depressions scraped in the sand, in lieu of nests. The adults are excellent parents and have it down to a science. At first, it looks like there are two colonies, because farther down the beach adults and nearly fledged immatures are just hanging out, loafing. Periodically some of the loafers fly in to the main colony, and take over parenting duties for their mate, allowing the "on-duty" parent to take a break. Smart! I need that sort of parenting option, except I'd probably just hang with the loafers all day.
The babies do not fly until the are fledged (adult feathers in), so when they are nearly grown, it looks like a different species, or perhaps the female of the specie, but they are just awkward teens. This is why the Audobon society is out there talking to the public. the area between the shore and the nesting area is where skimmer families learn the ropes of being adults. Wandering away, putting the beak in the water and running to practice skimming when they fly, fighting, playing. This is also the area that people walk, jog and wander through - it is a public beach, and we can't restrict access. The nesting area is roped off, and there are huge fines for harassing the birds, but only if law enforcement actually observes the harassment, and if it is deemed malicious. With Turtles it is a little easier, they hatch at night, go to the water and swim away. The skimmers hang out on the beach for a couple of months, in the height of tourist season. So I spent my day educating people about how important it is to use a little consideration when wandering through the skimmer nursery, and hopefully getting people to enjoy these unusual birds that we may lose if we are not careful.
Yesterday I volunteered with the Audobon society to help protect these little critters from being trampelled by tourists, and yes, also educate the public about WHY you shouldn't let your 4 year old chase the babies. Black skimmers are a threatened species, they only nest on sandy beaches, and Florida's economy is largely based on public access to our beautiful beaches. Hmmmmmm - recipe for disaster, no wonder they are threatened. Sometime last November the Wild Child brought home pictures of these birds - I just thought it was a really ugly seagull, had no idea that they had environmental import, but after spending yesterday being a "Bird Steward," they are my new favorite sea bird.
First - the babies are adorable, little balls of irreverent fluff that manage to disregard their parent's instruction on a regular basis - "what? stay in the scrape where it is cool and the mommy can shade me? when there are feet to dodge and waves to catch?" not having it. Scrapes are shallow depressions scraped in the sand, in lieu of nests. The adults are excellent parents and have it down to a science. At first, it looks like there are two colonies, because farther down the beach adults and nearly fledged immatures are just hanging out, loafing. Periodically some of the loafers fly in to the main colony, and take over parenting duties for their mate, allowing the "on-duty" parent to take a break. Smart! I need that sort of parenting option, except I'd probably just hang with the loafers all day.
The babies do not fly until the are fledged (adult feathers in), so when they are nearly grown, it looks like a different species, or perhaps the female of the specie, but they are just awkward teens. This is why the Audobon society is out there talking to the public. the area between the shore and the nesting area is where skimmer families learn the ropes of being adults. Wandering away, putting the beak in the water and running to practice skimming when they fly, fighting, playing. This is also the area that people walk, jog and wander through - it is a public beach, and we can't restrict access. The nesting area is roped off, and there are huge fines for harassing the birds, but only if law enforcement actually observes the harassment, and if it is deemed malicious. With Turtles it is a little easier, they hatch at night, go to the water and swim away. The skimmers hang out on the beach for a couple of months, in the height of tourist season. So I spent my day educating people about how important it is to use a little consideration when wandering through the skimmer nursery, and hopefully getting people to enjoy these unusual birds that we may lose if we are not careful.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Random Thought
I have always had the notion that the world can be divided into two categories of people: those that deal with tough times with glimpses of suicidal thought, and those that entertain thoughts of homicide. I have never wondered what the world would be like without me. I have fantasized how the world would be devoid of the people that piss me off.
As a disclaimer - I have been carrying this idea around with me since my early teens. As an adult I am aware that there are lots of healthier ways of handling stress - prayer, meditation, forgiveness, whacking golf balls with names and faces drawn on them, etc. But seriously, do you know of anyone that hasn't at least thought of what their life would be like if Karma were truly instant, and controlled by human pettiness?
As a disclaimer - I have been carrying this idea around with me since my early teens. As an adult I am aware that there are lots of healthier ways of handling stress - prayer, meditation, forgiveness, whacking golf balls with names and faces drawn on them, etc. But seriously, do you know of anyone that hasn't at least thought of what their life would be like if Karma were truly instant, and controlled by human pettiness?
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Critical Thought
I feel a rant coming on. I Love the internet. I love that information is instantly available. The knowledge of the universe is at our finger tips. And Knowledge is Power. Instant and unfettered. Uncensored and unverified. Frankly, there is more crap on the internet than real information. But that isn't really a problem, we have been so bombarded with crazy advertisements and false claims that most people know that you can't believe most of what you read, or hear, or see.
People with degrees in psychology get paid very big bucks to manipulate us through advertising, or even set the mood in a bar (lights in many bars are graded to be brighter higher up, fading to warm bronze colors at face level, so everyone looks tan and healthy, fostering the "in crowd" feel). This post is not really about the evils of corporate advertising, although it is one of my favorite rants. Advertising is at least honest in the respect that you know the motive is to sell you something. Buyer beware, etc. No, this rant has more to do with the constant barrage of half truths and warnings that come to me through email, face-book, texts and all other forms of electronic media. This is a rant against all of the people that are trying to keep me safe from computer virus'. poisonous products, terrorist plots, and fake chicken. And to all the people that are defending us from the amoral decisions of our political leaders, sneaky plots of the fraudulent charities, conspiracies of suburban housewives (OK, some of these may be true), and the horrible murderous trend of groups that are secretly gay, Muslim, vegetarian, or not Caucasian. Even just cute heartwarming stories about how some of favorite songs, sayings or cultural icons came to be.
These things become quickly viral. And it always seems to me that the more outrageous the claims, the more people are going to jump on them as true, respond and repost. I'm sure I drive all of my friends crazy, because I'm the one that always checks things out on Snopes.com and sends links to all the people that got the original post. Except, not always. When it is politically motivated, slanderous drivel, I often just sadly shake my head and delete it, because the people that send it are probably not interested in facts, but in propagating something that supports what they see as the truth. I'm a little embarrassed by how much I trust Snopes.com, I will freely admit it is the lazy person's fact check site. I'm sure they make mistakes, but at least they seem to make an effort to try to weed through most of the crap on the internet.
Recently someone sent me a beautiful, sad and poignant story of the origins of the song "Taps." Of course, it was complete crap, but harmless, and the perpetuating a myth that strengthens the power of the song. This is what parables, fables and even religious texts count on. A story that powerfully conveys the sentiment, in these cases, facts are not as important as the truth they convey. Where the rant part comes in is when the post begins with the announcement: "This is true!" "I checked it out on Snopes" or "My grandmother's 2nd cousin's great nephew works for the national confederate library, and he researched this for her." This stuff drives me crazy, especially when 30 seconds of a lazy google search result in a debunking of the story, and any claim to legitimacy. These are the kind of stories that so support a beautiful myth, that if it were not for the wild claims of legitimacy at the beginning, I wouldn't have even looked at Snopes, in fact, I may have reposted it, just because it is a good story.
My Favorite Faulkner quote is something on the lines of: "poets are not interested in facts, but in truths." I'm sure I mangled the quote - funny that it came from the Snope's trilogy - I just realized that. but this principal is what makes poetry, legends, mythology and art WORK - because they portray truths that are greater than the truths that we can grasp with our mere senses, the "facts," those constantly misleading bits of information that can be use to tell greater lies as well as larger truths.
Many years ago, sometime during Desert Storm, my mother gave me an "article" that someone had printed out for her. Computers were not as ubiquitous as they are now, where misinformation can become almost instantly viral,but this was making the email rounds, and someone had gotten a copy to my Mom. The article explained how decades of horrors visited upon us by the Muslim world, and justified a "no holds barred" approach to Iraq. Total destruction was perhaps too good for this monstrous civilization. Now we did not have a computer immediately available, and I had not heard of Snope's yet, but in reading the article, I saw that the discrepancies were obvious, and the tone abundantly so. You have to realize, my Mom is VERY intelligent, and not quick to judge, but the article was playing on fears that she had harbored since my Aunt and Uncle had visited the Middle East, back when Iraq was our friend. As I handed the article back to her, I pointed out that not a single incident listed mentioned Iraq. That all of them were the acts of terrorist groups or countries whose only association with Iraq happened to be global geography. It would be like blaming Canada for the bombing of Hiroshima, or the domestic terrorist acts of Timothy McVey. But there we go, loosely associated "facts" strategically placed to draw conclusions with no basis in truth.
I think, as culture, we are losing the power of critical thought. This is scary to me, as I feel that being able to analyze and interpret the information being thrown at us is our best bet for survival and growth as a civilization, and as individuals. With great Power comes great Responsibility. We are living in an age of fear, and I personally feel that few of our fears are grounded in fact. Our fears are based in mistrust, and a constant barrage of misinformation that supports the fears and mistrust that we started with. So please, please, please check your sources. Especially if the post you are about to send out inflamed your passions, anger, or fear. Chances are they will also add to the general fear and mistrust of your larger social network. How sad is this that? Especially if the information isn't factual, or if you are stirring ugly passions with 1/2 truths designed to mislead or support an agenda of fear and outrage.
People with degrees in psychology get paid very big bucks to manipulate us through advertising, or even set the mood in a bar (lights in many bars are graded to be brighter higher up, fading to warm bronze colors at face level, so everyone looks tan and healthy, fostering the "in crowd" feel). This post is not really about the evils of corporate advertising, although it is one of my favorite rants. Advertising is at least honest in the respect that you know the motive is to sell you something. Buyer beware, etc. No, this rant has more to do with the constant barrage of half truths and warnings that come to me through email, face-book, texts and all other forms of electronic media. This is a rant against all of the people that are trying to keep me safe from computer virus'. poisonous products, terrorist plots, and fake chicken. And to all the people that are defending us from the amoral decisions of our political leaders, sneaky plots of the fraudulent charities, conspiracies of suburban housewives (OK, some of these may be true), and the horrible murderous trend of groups that are secretly gay, Muslim, vegetarian, or not Caucasian. Even just cute heartwarming stories about how some of favorite songs, sayings or cultural icons came to be.
These things become quickly viral. And it always seems to me that the more outrageous the claims, the more people are going to jump on them as true, respond and repost. I'm sure I drive all of my friends crazy, because I'm the one that always checks things out on Snopes.com and sends links to all the people that got the original post. Except, not always. When it is politically motivated, slanderous drivel, I often just sadly shake my head and delete it, because the people that send it are probably not interested in facts, but in propagating something that supports what they see as the truth. I'm a little embarrassed by how much I trust Snopes.com, I will freely admit it is the lazy person's fact check site. I'm sure they make mistakes, but at least they seem to make an effort to try to weed through most of the crap on the internet.
Recently someone sent me a beautiful, sad and poignant story of the origins of the song "Taps." Of course, it was complete crap, but harmless, and the perpetuating a myth that strengthens the power of the song. This is what parables, fables and even religious texts count on. A story that powerfully conveys the sentiment, in these cases, facts are not as important as the truth they convey. Where the rant part comes in is when the post begins with the announcement: "This is true!" "I checked it out on Snopes" or "My grandmother's 2nd cousin's great nephew works for the national confederate library, and he researched this for her." This stuff drives me crazy, especially when 30 seconds of a lazy google search result in a debunking of the story, and any claim to legitimacy. These are the kind of stories that so support a beautiful myth, that if it were not for the wild claims of legitimacy at the beginning, I wouldn't have even looked at Snopes, in fact, I may have reposted it, just because it is a good story.
My Favorite Faulkner quote is something on the lines of: "poets are not interested in facts, but in truths." I'm sure I mangled the quote - funny that it came from the Snope's trilogy - I just realized that. but this principal is what makes poetry, legends, mythology and art WORK - because they portray truths that are greater than the truths that we can grasp with our mere senses, the "facts," those constantly misleading bits of information that can be use to tell greater lies as well as larger truths.
Many years ago, sometime during Desert Storm, my mother gave me an "article" that someone had printed out for her. Computers were not as ubiquitous as they are now, where misinformation can become almost instantly viral,but this was making the email rounds, and someone had gotten a copy to my Mom. The article explained how decades of horrors visited upon us by the Muslim world, and justified a "no holds barred" approach to Iraq. Total destruction was perhaps too good for this monstrous civilization. Now we did not have a computer immediately available, and I had not heard of Snope's yet, but in reading the article, I saw that the discrepancies were obvious, and the tone abundantly so. You have to realize, my Mom is VERY intelligent, and not quick to judge, but the article was playing on fears that she had harbored since my Aunt and Uncle had visited the Middle East, back when Iraq was our friend. As I handed the article back to her, I pointed out that not a single incident listed mentioned Iraq. That all of them were the acts of terrorist groups or countries whose only association with Iraq happened to be global geography. It would be like blaming Canada for the bombing of Hiroshima, or the domestic terrorist acts of Timothy McVey. But there we go, loosely associated "facts" strategically placed to draw conclusions with no basis in truth.
I think, as culture, we are losing the power of critical thought. This is scary to me, as I feel that being able to analyze and interpret the information being thrown at us is our best bet for survival and growth as a civilization, and as individuals. With great Power comes great Responsibility. We are living in an age of fear, and I personally feel that few of our fears are grounded in fact. Our fears are based in mistrust, and a constant barrage of misinformation that supports the fears and mistrust that we started with. So please, please, please check your sources. Especially if the post you are about to send out inflamed your passions, anger, or fear. Chances are they will also add to the general fear and mistrust of your larger social network. How sad is this that? Especially if the information isn't factual, or if you are stirring ugly passions with 1/2 truths designed to mislead or support an agenda of fear and outrage.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Futurama
This will be incomplete - anyone who reads this, please add a comment with more examples.
The future is now! I was watching "That 70's Show" and Red, the curmudgeony old father and Vietnam war vet, was grumbling because he felt that he was not living the future he had been promised, where is the jet pack? where is the hover car? True, the 70's was the beginning of the tech era, and the few techy devices were big, awkward and glitchy. I remember my dad had a "car phone," the size of an igloo cooler, incredibly complicated, nearly useless when he was out in the woods. The popularization of the CB radio put us in touch with random strangers. We played "pong" for hours on our cousin's TV. Our favorite shows were "Lost in Space," and "Star Trek." Ok - my favorite shows were "Bewitched," and "I Dream of Jeannie," but I watched the other ones with my brother.
Now? we have com devices. Except our cell phones do so much more than just communicate with the Enterprise. We have all of the information of the world at our finger tips, and the GPS capabilities that saved Kirk on so many lonely planets. Remember the video phone from "2001 a Space Odyssey?" Dr. Frank Poole calls home to his wife and adoring daughter, and interacts on the large video screen in real time. Skype anyone? When my brother was in Iraq, my mom saw him more than she does when they live in the same state. Many of the sci-fi shows of the 50's-70's treated pay/payments by "credits" as a standard. In the now, many of us use fewer and fewer tangible forms of money. Debit cards are easier than cash. Even small companies often offer direct deposit, and on-line banking is so safe and easy, that I'm even doing it. I just signed my daughter up for a reloadable visa card, I can add money on-line, or have her allowance automatically deducted from my account onto her card, and track everywhere that she uses it. If it is lost or stolen, I get to cancel it.
"With great power comes great responsibility." How cheesy am I? Big Brother IS watching. Many of my friends choose to be completely "off the grid," and function without the comfort and convenience of technology. Somewhere in my heart and head I sympathize with the sentiment; many of us grew up deeply influenced by the cold war, closely guarding all personal information, not wanting to be vulnerable in case of an insidious take over by a subtle foreign (or not so foreign) power. Our children will be much more savvy about how to keep their information private, and they will have better tools for doing so. They will learn from our mistakes, and our criminals. For those that are very concerned that the government is tracking our computers and cell phones, I think a time will come where lack of activity will draw more attention than any specific activity.
I have an adolescent. Like it or not, she will function in this futuresque world where "personal" does not have the same connotation that it had for us.
This age of technology does challenge us as parents to define our moral compass in a new context. We used to worry about our sons getting hold of Penthouse magazine, now we worry about our daughter's sending graphic pictures to their boyfriends via text. Embarrassing moments used to be something you hoped people would forget, now we worry about them becoming viral on You Tube. I still believe that we cannot protect our children from the world, especially one that we barely understand. We can only teach them to protect themselves, and trust that they will learn from their mistakes, and hope that they learn from ours.
The future is now! I was watching "That 70's Show" and Red, the curmudgeony old father and Vietnam war vet, was grumbling because he felt that he was not living the future he had been promised, where is the jet pack? where is the hover car? True, the 70's was the beginning of the tech era, and the few techy devices were big, awkward and glitchy. I remember my dad had a "car phone," the size of an igloo cooler, incredibly complicated, nearly useless when he was out in the woods. The popularization of the CB radio put us in touch with random strangers. We played "pong" for hours on our cousin's TV. Our favorite shows were "Lost in Space," and "Star Trek." Ok - my favorite shows were "Bewitched," and "I Dream of Jeannie," but I watched the other ones with my brother.
Now? we have com devices. Except our cell phones do so much more than just communicate with the Enterprise. We have all of the information of the world at our finger tips, and the GPS capabilities that saved Kirk on so many lonely planets. Remember the video phone from "2001 a Space Odyssey?" Dr. Frank Poole calls home to his wife and adoring daughter, and interacts on the large video screen in real time. Skype anyone? When my brother was in Iraq, my mom saw him more than she does when they live in the same state. Many of the sci-fi shows of the 50's-70's treated pay/payments by "credits" as a standard. In the now, many of us use fewer and fewer tangible forms of money. Debit cards are easier than cash. Even small companies often offer direct deposit, and on-line banking is so safe and easy, that I'm even doing it. I just signed my daughter up for a reloadable visa card, I can add money on-line, or have her allowance automatically deducted from my account onto her card, and track everywhere that she uses it. If it is lost or stolen, I get to cancel it.
"With great power comes great responsibility." How cheesy am I? Big Brother IS watching. Many of my friends choose to be completely "off the grid," and function without the comfort and convenience of technology. Somewhere in my heart and head I sympathize with the sentiment; many of us grew up deeply influenced by the cold war, closely guarding all personal information, not wanting to be vulnerable in case of an insidious take over by a subtle foreign (or not so foreign) power. Our children will be much more savvy about how to keep their information private, and they will have better tools for doing so. They will learn from our mistakes, and our criminals. For those that are very concerned that the government is tracking our computers and cell phones, I think a time will come where lack of activity will draw more attention than any specific activity.
I have an adolescent. Like it or not, she will function in this futuresque world where "personal" does not have the same connotation that it had for us.
This age of technology does challenge us as parents to define our moral compass in a new context. We used to worry about our sons getting hold of Penthouse magazine, now we worry about our daughter's sending graphic pictures to their boyfriends via text. Embarrassing moments used to be something you hoped people would forget, now we worry about them becoming viral on You Tube. I still believe that we cannot protect our children from the world, especially one that we barely understand. We can only teach them to protect themselves, and trust that they will learn from their mistakes, and hope that they learn from ours.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Of Twenties, Teens and Tweens
I have one of each. Sort of. I inherited the older 2 when I married the wonderful Darling Man. The nearly teen is mine. The 26 year old and nearly man are now roommates. It is kind of cute, they are so "brother and sister," but the she still takes care of him like he is 5, and he still teases his big sister like he's 12.
They have decided to get a dog. She already has one. Maddy - my only grandpuppy. Sweet, loving. Annoying, hyper little pee factory. Recently the Nearly Man went to the Largo SPCA (great facility) and he convinced his sister they needed a dog. So the search is on. Humane society, rescue sites, SPCA. Then they decide to go to the pound - because they want to rescue a dog from being euthanized, and because pound adoptions are cheap. But they really can't agree on what dog. He wants medium to big - a border collie or Aussie, something that will catch a frisbee and play with him. Or a lab that will wrestle and run. She wants a playmate for Maddy, and is absolutely opposed to long hair shedding dogs. The compromise seems to be hounds. Maybe because they are short she thinks they are small? anyway - every puppy on line is adorable, and they want them all.
Friday the took a trek to the pound, and took the little sister and one of her friends with them. Just before they left, they mentioned that they can't get a dog for at least a month, because they are baby-sitting their Mom's dogs until she moves. WHAT? you are going to the saddest place on earth, knowing that you can't help any of them right now? Did anyone think this through?
I got the call about 1/2 an hour later. I did not even bother to say "hello." I answered with "NO, you are not bringing a dog home." long pause. "How did you know what I was going to say?" well - because I am OMNI-mom - the all knowing and far-seeing. It was the superior powers of my crystal ball that allowed me to fortell her thoughts, even at that great distance. She doesn't want a dog, she just wants to babysit until the siblings can take it home. Except that we will be gone for two weeks, leaving the darling man to care for our 2 dogs, 1 cat, 1 1/2 rabbits, lizard, bird, house, yard, and full time job with out us. I told her to call him. He laughed. She hung up. Apparently there were real tears involved.
Another parenting lesson learned. Treks to the pound when you are not actually getting a dog may not be a great idea with emotional young people. Still - they all want to do it again. They are even more determined to rescue a puppy.
Completely off the subject. I am very proud of my daughter and her friends. Navigating adolescence is hard, and they are helping each other through, and keeping each other on track.
They have decided to get a dog. She already has one. Maddy - my only grandpuppy. Sweet, loving. Annoying, hyper little pee factory. Recently the Nearly Man went to the Largo SPCA (great facility) and he convinced his sister they needed a dog. So the search is on. Humane society, rescue sites, SPCA. Then they decide to go to the pound - because they want to rescue a dog from being euthanized, and because pound adoptions are cheap. But they really can't agree on what dog. He wants medium to big - a border collie or Aussie, something that will catch a frisbee and play with him. Or a lab that will wrestle and run. She wants a playmate for Maddy, and is absolutely opposed to long hair shedding dogs. The compromise seems to be hounds. Maybe because they are short she thinks they are small? anyway - every puppy on line is adorable, and they want them all.
Friday the took a trek to the pound, and took the little sister and one of her friends with them. Just before they left, they mentioned that they can't get a dog for at least a month, because they are baby-sitting their Mom's dogs until she moves. WHAT? you are going to the saddest place on earth, knowing that you can't help any of them right now? Did anyone think this through?
I got the call about 1/2 an hour later. I did not even bother to say "hello." I answered with "NO, you are not bringing a dog home." long pause. "How did you know what I was going to say?" well - because I am OMNI-mom - the all knowing and far-seeing. It was the superior powers of my crystal ball that allowed me to fortell her thoughts, even at that great distance. She doesn't want a dog, she just wants to babysit until the siblings can take it home. Except that we will be gone for two weeks, leaving the darling man to care for our 2 dogs, 1 cat, 1 1/2 rabbits, lizard, bird, house, yard, and full time job with out us. I told her to call him. He laughed. She hung up. Apparently there were real tears involved.
Another parenting lesson learned. Treks to the pound when you are not actually getting a dog may not be a great idea with emotional young people. Still - they all want to do it again. They are even more determined to rescue a puppy.
Completely off the subject. I am very proud of my daughter and her friends. Navigating adolescence is hard, and they are helping each other through, and keeping each other on track.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Soup Nazi
I have been on a health kick. At least as far as diet. There is this amazing oriental grocery store that I go by during my daily travels, and it has been an inspiring place to browse. Full of fresh, exotic veggies and seafood. Labels I can't read, and things that just look like I gotta try it. On a side note, I completely organized my kitchen, and this includes a full set of "Producer Keepers" in the refrigerator. They ROCK! Even strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries are still fresh and yummy a week later. I fed the picky girl salad with week-old lettuce and she didn't even bat an eye. Yay, me! Yay, pretty kitchen! Unfortunately no one in the family wants to take the necessary training to be able to put groceries away in my beautiful, yet complicated organizational structure, so the groceries sit on the table waiting for me to put them away. That's OK - everything has a place, and any deviation would be a sin.
I've been on a soup kick, inspired by all of the lovely fresh herbs and veggies at the oriental place. I am trying to learn to cook with a thai or vietnamese inspired flare. I say inspired, because if I were ta actually try to learn, I would have to crack a recipe book. I'm just winging it. The Darling Man is not a big fan of soup,but he is a good sport. I am determined to eat healthier and the light rice noodle, broth and veggie concoctions seem to be just the thing. I love the salty/sweet/sour/spicy combination in this style of cooking. The girl loves soup, so its a pretty easy sell. I have learned a few things - like if you are going to add seaweed in a recipe that does not ask for it, you really need to reduce the fish sauce. My family only likes fishy taste if they don't recognize it. Seaweed ups the fish flavor more than you would expect, but I love the nutritional component, and for some reason, the girl-child really likes seaweed.I also learned that the fam does not like fish balls. I really thought it would be a nice, light protein boost, and would be delicious. Fish Ball Soup just sounds so amazing. And the soup was really good. Except for the fish balls. The husband ate them, proof that he will eat anything. I forced the girl to eat two. I ate all of mine, but it will not show up on the menu again. The dogs were ecstatic. what to do with a pound of fish balls?
The egg drop soup was really easy, and turned out looking and tasting just like egg drop soup. Ewwww. The girl child loves egg drop soup. I find it slimy, and nauseating. The Darling Man ate it, even complimented the texture. I don't think that they noticed that I ate chicken and rice noodle soup left-overs. Next week I'm feeling italian. I think I'll make sausage (turkey) and tortellini soup. I know it is summer, and not soup season. Don't judge me. Maybe I'll do salad and cold plates all winter. Florida is hot all year round, the seasons are blended, and on the two or three days that feel like it might be soup weather, we usually do chili. I have promised the darling man that it will work its way out of my system. For now - I must make soup!
Since this is a total foodie post, I just gotta mention the deserts. Yummy angel food cake, and key-lime pie (gotta do something with all of those yolks) topped off with fresh berries and home made whipped cream. Last night we made key-lime pie ice cream. It doesn't get more summery than that!
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Love by the Numbers
This is an old story, but it has been on my mind alot lately so, I thought I'd share.
When I split up from the Darling Daughter's Dad (DDD). I was pretty devastated, divorced from the 1st husband, separated from the father of my child, feeling like a two-time loser with zero ability to pick a mate, I holed up like a hermit for about 3 months. The first time I went out with friends, I ran into the ex. He was happy, hanging with some girl, looked like his classic "sneaker date." He invites a bunch of people he knows to the same venue, corrals the object of interest for most of the evening, makes his play. If it doesn't work out, no harm, no foul, it wasn't really a date. We were civil, nice almost. I met a guy that asked me how I knew him, and was really impressed that we seemed so adult about the break up (not knowing it was a recent break-up). Then he went on to tell me he had known the DDD for about 3 years, and admired him as a fun, crowd pleasing, single guy. WTF????? we had been separate for 3 month? I'm home with the under 5 year old! How single had he been all this time?
So I went home, angry, heart-sick, feeling like I'd been duped, and started writing madly in the "angry" journal. And I came up with a brilliant idea. I would make a list. A master list. One that would embody all of my values and core principals, one that would, in effect, shield me from future stupid mistakes. It was a list of criteria for my next love interest. Things that are so important to me that straying from the list at all would be a DEAL BREAKER. There were 15 items on the list, and they were all important: Sense of humor, financial security, generosity, not wasteful, politically moderate, religiously open-minded, caring, out-doorsy, non-judgmental, etc., etc. The first thing I wrote was "Hard Body." Immediately under that I wrote: "You shallow b***h, how did that even make the list?" - I wouldn't even meet my own criteria. And then I ran the ex through the list, he hit 6. Then I ran my 1st husband through the list - he hit 7. Wait - I'm actually getting WORSE at picking guys? Totally hanging it up - I obviously have better chances for happiness as a single mom.
And that was it. I started prioritizing things that were important. Went to dancing venues with friends that I knew the DDD wouldn't show up at, spent more time doing crafts, hanging with the girl friends, working harder. Life was good. Now - a little about Mike.
I have known Mike for years. He was one of those people that would hold the darling girl so her dad and I could dance. He was also my favorite dance partner when someone else had the girl. Nice guy, great dad. I knew he and his ex through their break up. Talk about mature! They still have a great relationship. I started running into him at Contra Dances, and he was fun, but ZERO attraction. One night we stopped for a beer after dancing, and he let me know he was interested - I put a stop to that! Need to get my life back in order, blah, blah, lets talk again in a year, blah, blah. Bought myself some time anyway. He came over to the house a couple of times to help me with my web-site, his 13 year old and my 6 year old got along fairly well. Whatever.
One day I was flipping through some old journals and found "The List." Just for kicks and giggles, I decided to run Mike through the list. 14 of 15. Seriously? Who would have thunk it? Those are good numbers. And what did he miss? You guessed it. The one I was totally embarrassed by, the one that did not address what I believe to be my own values. I crossed off "Hard Body" and added "Computer Geek." Wow 15/15
So - I initiated a "sneaker date" of my own. He thought he was working on the web-site. I got rid of the kid and cooked him dinner. By the end of the evening it was very clear that the "attraction" thing was NOT a problem. And a year later we got married. So the moral of the story? If you are one of those people that follow your heart, and your heart tends to screw you over and over - try letting your head weigh in on it once in awhile. 6 years later, I am truly living the dream, I have the best husband, partner, lover, computer guy in the world! I'd say lucky me - but it was a calculated coup, and I couldn't be happier.
When I split up from the Darling Daughter's Dad (DDD). I was pretty devastated, divorced from the 1st husband, separated from the father of my child, feeling like a two-time loser with zero ability to pick a mate, I holed up like a hermit for about 3 months. The first time I went out with friends, I ran into the ex. He was happy, hanging with some girl, looked like his classic "sneaker date." He invites a bunch of people he knows to the same venue, corrals the object of interest for most of the evening, makes his play. If it doesn't work out, no harm, no foul, it wasn't really a date. We were civil, nice almost. I met a guy that asked me how I knew him, and was really impressed that we seemed so adult about the break up (not knowing it was a recent break-up). Then he went on to tell me he had known the DDD for about 3 years, and admired him as a fun, crowd pleasing, single guy. WTF????? we had been separate for 3 month? I'm home with the under 5 year old! How single had he been all this time?
So I went home, angry, heart-sick, feeling like I'd been duped, and started writing madly in the "angry" journal. And I came up with a brilliant idea. I would make a list. A master list. One that would embody all of my values and core principals, one that would, in effect, shield me from future stupid mistakes. It was a list of criteria for my next love interest. Things that are so important to me that straying from the list at all would be a DEAL BREAKER. There were 15 items on the list, and they were all important: Sense of humor, financial security, generosity, not wasteful, politically moderate, religiously open-minded, caring, out-doorsy, non-judgmental, etc., etc. The first thing I wrote was "Hard Body." Immediately under that I wrote: "You shallow b***h, how did that even make the list?" - I wouldn't even meet my own criteria. And then I ran the ex through the list, he hit 6. Then I ran my 1st husband through the list - he hit 7. Wait - I'm actually getting WORSE at picking guys? Totally hanging it up - I obviously have better chances for happiness as a single mom.
And that was it. I started prioritizing things that were important. Went to dancing venues with friends that I knew the DDD wouldn't show up at, spent more time doing crafts, hanging with the girl friends, working harder. Life was good. Now - a little about Mike.
I have known Mike for years. He was one of those people that would hold the darling girl so her dad and I could dance. He was also my favorite dance partner when someone else had the girl. Nice guy, great dad. I knew he and his ex through their break up. Talk about mature! They still have a great relationship. I started running into him at Contra Dances, and he was fun, but ZERO attraction. One night we stopped for a beer after dancing, and he let me know he was interested - I put a stop to that! Need to get my life back in order, blah, blah, lets talk again in a year, blah, blah. Bought myself some time anyway. He came over to the house a couple of times to help me with my web-site, his 13 year old and my 6 year old got along fairly well. Whatever.
One day I was flipping through some old journals and found "The List." Just for kicks and giggles, I decided to run Mike through the list. 14 of 15. Seriously? Who would have thunk it? Those are good numbers. And what did he miss? You guessed it. The one I was totally embarrassed by, the one that did not address what I believe to be my own values. I crossed off "Hard Body" and added "Computer Geek." Wow 15/15
So - I initiated a "sneaker date" of my own. He thought he was working on the web-site. I got rid of the kid and cooked him dinner. By the end of the evening it was very clear that the "attraction" thing was NOT a problem. And a year later we got married. So the moral of the story? If you are one of those people that follow your heart, and your heart tends to screw you over and over - try letting your head weigh in on it once in awhile. 6 years later, I am truly living the dream, I have the best husband, partner, lover, computer guy in the world! I'd say lucky me - but it was a calculated coup, and I couldn't be happier.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Hamster Home-Life
Well, since the last post I have been trying to be effective, position myself to be helpful, even. What have I accomplished? I completed an "Oiled Wildlife Response" class; I have taken three courses on-line from FEMA on Incident Command Systems, I have renewed my basic life support (first aid) credentials. Next week I take the BP sponsored HAZMAT training, and check out a Florida DART (disaster animal response team) meeting. I have register myself to volunteer, but I am only going to be able to answer phones or whatever. I have registered the little girl and I to help with pre-oil beach clean up if it looks to threaten our local beaches.
But - what have I accomplished? Probably nothing. In order to actually be involved in clean up, either on the beaches, or with the animals, I have to be affiliated with a group that will be called (DART is one, Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary another), and even if I start volunteering with those groups, I don't get to go out in the field until I have completed their required hours or trainings. There will probably not be time before it is necessary, so I've sort of resigned myself to volunteering anyway I can, even if it means paperwork, or dealing with the public. I just think that any of us that can do something, should. So I'm willing to do whatever I can.
Oh - and there was a tie-dye party with 15 or so of my daughter's friends (at my house). And the gym pool party (at the local pool). And the first day at Adventure Island for the season. And my first week at being a per-diem home health therapist. And good - GREAT- news about my mom's cancer.
Life is good.
But - what have I accomplished? Probably nothing. In order to actually be involved in clean up, either on the beaches, or with the animals, I have to be affiliated with a group that will be called (DART is one, Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary another), and even if I start volunteering with those groups, I don't get to go out in the field until I have completed their required hours or trainings. There will probably not be time before it is necessary, so I've sort of resigned myself to volunteering anyway I can, even if it means paperwork, or dealing with the public. I just think that any of us that can do something, should. So I'm willing to do whatever I can.
Oh - and there was a tie-dye party with 15 or so of my daughter's friends (at my house). And the gym pool party (at the local pool). And the first day at Adventure Island for the season. And my first week at being a per-diem home health therapist. And good - GREAT- news about my mom's cancer.
Life is good.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Black Gold
The tragedy in the Gulf is a little more than my brain can handle. If I pay too much attention I feel compelled to do something - but what? I can throw small amounts of money at it. I would love to be amongst the masses up of people pulling helpless oil soaked animals out of nests and washing them up. I'd like to be cracking the heads of oil-execs and politicians that allowed the circumstances that made this possible. I would like to live a life completely independent of petroleum products. I would like to be able to tell my daughter that all of the baby turtles hatching this month along the gulf coast will be OK. I would like to be able to comfort the families who lost loved ones in the explosion, and the tell all of the families and towns on the Gulf Coast that their livelihoods are secure. None of that will happen. As a citizen of earth, I feel vague, deep, uneasy pain, and a huge sense of responsibility. My ex-husband used to call it "Earth-Hurt" and tease me about my sensitivity to global crisis'.
As I have said, I have friends on all sides of the political spectrums, but when it comes to individual events, most people with heart weigh in on the side of humanity. I was appalled at some of the commentary I have seen lately. I get that environmentalists, with their "doom's day, we are raping the earth" approach, are annoying to the political right. These fear tactics do not make people any more sympathetic to their cause than "Obama is an Islamic terrorist" groups help the lefties take the agendas of the right seriously. But this oil spill is huge, and tragic, and needs to be a cross party discussion. There is no room for debate - fix the freakin' problem and make sure it does not happen again, while we shift our entire fuel consumption to renewable, safe sources.
Someone I know (not a friend, a friend of a friend) actually posted a comment that the environazis need to "get over it." Oil came from the earth, and the earth will reabsorb this, like it has been doing for billions of years, and everything will be fine. WTF??????? The earth has been doing a pretty good job of keeping that pool of black death locked up well below the surface for a really long time. I was amazed that the poster acknowledged that the earth may be older than 6,000 yrs old - this is what I get for stereo-typing idiots.
I hardly ever show my deep, artsy side, but after the Exxon Valdez spill I wrote a poem that I'll share - I haven't written any poetry in about 11 years, its hard to remember that for most of my life I wrote alot - but here goes (the title is because I heard the verdict on the trial on Mother's day, 1994)
Mother's Day
Black blood spilling
Onto the foaming surf.
Waves stilled
In crude submission
Colours swirl
From blue to black.
Death by entrapment
In the wounds
of Earth.
Liquid gold,
More precious than
Diamonds.
Carbon can be cruel.
Gaia's blood burns
Profiting the
Parasites that
Poison
our Mother
As I have said, I have friends on all sides of the political spectrums, but when it comes to individual events, most people with heart weigh in on the side of humanity. I was appalled at some of the commentary I have seen lately. I get that environmentalists, with their "doom's day, we are raping the earth" approach, are annoying to the political right. These fear tactics do not make people any more sympathetic to their cause than "Obama is an Islamic terrorist" groups help the lefties take the agendas of the right seriously. But this oil spill is huge, and tragic, and needs to be a cross party discussion. There is no room for debate - fix the freakin' problem and make sure it does not happen again, while we shift our entire fuel consumption to renewable, safe sources.
Someone I know (not a friend, a friend of a friend) actually posted a comment that the environazis need to "get over it." Oil came from the earth, and the earth will reabsorb this, like it has been doing for billions of years, and everything will be fine. WTF??????? The earth has been doing a pretty good job of keeping that pool of black death locked up well below the surface for a really long time. I was amazed that the poster acknowledged that the earth may be older than 6,000 yrs old - this is what I get for stereo-typing idiots.
I hardly ever show my deep, artsy side, but after the Exxon Valdez spill I wrote a poem that I'll share - I haven't written any poetry in about 11 years, its hard to remember that for most of my life I wrote alot - but here goes (the title is because I heard the verdict on the trial on Mother's day, 1994)
Mother's Day
Black blood spilling
Onto the foaming surf.
Waves stilled
In crude submission
Colours swirl
From blue to black.
Death by entrapment
In the wounds
of Earth.
Liquid gold,
More precious than
Diamonds.
Carbon can be cruel.
Gaia's blood burns
Profiting the
Parasites that
Poison
our Mother
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Tropic Freeze
It was worth it, but we will need to get back when it is a little warmer. May is perfect, but we have to skip school. June is early Hurricane season - but is usually OK. The next trip down we will probably go out to Loo Key, but we really want to go back to Fort Jefferson, and spend a few days camping. Maybe next year.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Spring Break Part Deaux
I am sure I did not spell the Deaux right.
There has been so much going on in the last few weeks, it is difficult to post about the rest of the Awesome, Fun, Wonderful break with photo girl.
Key Deer! Always too friendly, usually require at least a little illicit incentive. To be fair, the first time we let them have food they stole it, but it gave us lots of opportunities to take pictures. And they are very aggressive, like big awkward chipmunks. We stop by to see them every year, and always feel suitably guilty about the "incentives" the little buggers demand. We only let them have completely organic produce - raw almonds, dried fruit, fresh fruit. It does not make it any more legal, or less damaging to the well being and safety of these beautiful creatures, but assuages my guilt a little. This time, there was no need. They seem to just want the attention. And there were BABIES. They are tiny little deer anyway, but the fawns are beyond adorable. Please do not feed, harm, molest, or harass the Key Deer. The picture shows pretty clearly why they are endangered.
On the way back from the deer trip we watched the sky darken, and as we pulled on to the 7-bridge it hit. Torrential rain. Florida at its Finest. Seriously? We are months away from Hurricane season - we go snorkeling in the spring to avoid the cloudy storm stirred water. Damn.
The next day was intermittent showers, luckily it was clear during the Dolphin Encounter. I highly recommend the Dolphin Research Center in Marathon. Fun, educational, informative, the age limit on encounters is low, as long as the child is comfortable in the water and can swim. Oddly enough, the Girl Child's favorite part was not the dorsal pull, she most enjoyed the training where she gave the dolphin a signal, and he (Pax) acted on it.
Then it was off to the Turtle Hospital. These people do amazing work. I think this will become one of my favorite charitable organizations. They rescue sea turtles, and whenever possible release them to the wilds. They have a few permanent residents, that can't survive, and keep them in a huge salt water tidal pool on the grounds. The hospital is an old Florida hotel that until recently had rooms available for tourists. This used to be how they made money. After Hurricane Wilma, they were forced to close the hotel, so to make up for the lack of funding they opened to visitors. It is still a working hospital, visitors are only allowed on site as part of the tours, and they are very well conducted by interns and volunteers. CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF. Most of these turtles have been caught in fishing garbage, or eat plastic bags (they look like jelly fish, which turtles love) or candy wrappers or whatever. Turtles will apparently eat anything, including shoes if you let them fly off your boat. They start to not feel so good, maybe need a little more air, or need to come to the surface more often. Then WHAP. Hit by a boat. The shell fills with air, which the turtle can't expel, and you have a floater. A turtle that can't dive will die.
They usually come in ill, maimed, and covered with these horrible little cancerous polyps that are believed to be caused from - - - - Oh come on, you can guess this - - - - Pollution. I'm feeling a little less guilty about the Key Deer thing, at least I clean up after myself. The turtle is scrubbed up, probably it's only bath of it's whole life, re-hydrated in fresh water, X-rayed, surgery if applicable or possible, and put in private tanks to recuperate. Interesting note - because of the structure of the shell, it is actually an extension of the spine and ribs, they cannot perform internal surgeries. If the turtle can't pass the garbage (including huge fishing hooks and hats) on their own, they will die. Olive oil helps.
In order to be placed back in the wild, they have to have 3 working flippers, one good eye, and the ability to dive. They chip all of the turtles, so if they are hurt again and picked up by another rescue, the medical record can be shared. The finder names the turtle. This year, because of the brutal and extended cold here in Florida they had over 200 turtles suffering from cold shock brought in in January.
wow - Still so much to share, I haven't even posted about the Dry Tortugas, or Camping in the rain, or - oh by the way, sorta quit my job yesterday - YAY me. Instant down-size on the stress factor, potentially more money as a per diem employee - I'm just going to keep pretending that I work there until they quit giving me patients.
There has been so much going on in the last few weeks, it is difficult to post about the rest of the Awesome, Fun, Wonderful break with photo girl.
Key Deer! Always too friendly, usually require at least a little illicit incentive. To be fair, the first time we let them have food they stole it, but it gave us lots of opportunities to take pictures. And they are very aggressive, like big awkward chipmunks. We stop by to see them every year, and always feel suitably guilty about the "incentives" the little buggers demand. We only let them have completely organic produce - raw almonds, dried fruit, fresh fruit. It does not make it any more legal, or less damaging to the well being and safety of these beautiful creatures, but assuages my guilt a little. This time, there was no need. They seem to just want the attention. And there were BABIES. They are tiny little deer anyway, but the fawns are beyond adorable. Please do not feed, harm, molest, or harass the Key Deer. The picture shows pretty clearly why they are endangered. On the way back from the deer trip we watched the sky darken, and as we pulled on to the 7-bridge it hit. Torrential rain. Florida at its Finest. Seriously? We are months away from Hurricane season - we go snorkeling in the spring to avoid the cloudy storm stirred water. Damn.
They usually come in ill, maimed, and covered with these horrible little cancerous polyps that are believed to be caused from - - - - Oh come on, you can guess this - - - - Pollution. I'm feeling a little less guilty about the Key Deer thing, at least I clean up after myself. The turtle is scrubbed up, probably it's only bath of it's whole life, re-hydrated in fresh water, X-rayed, surgery if applicable or possible, and put in private tanks to recuperate. Interesting note - because of the structure of the shell, it is actually an extension of the spine and ribs, they cannot perform internal surgeries. If the turtle can't pass the garbage (including huge fishing hooks and hats) on their own, they will die. Olive oil helps.
In order to be placed back in the wild, they have to have 3 working flippers, one good eye, and the ability to dive. They chip all of the turtles, so if they are hurt again and picked up by another rescue, the medical record can be shared. The finder names the turtle. This year, because of the brutal and extended cold here in Florida they had over 200 turtles suffering from cold shock brought in in January.
wow - Still so much to share, I haven't even posted about the Dry Tortugas, or Camping in the rain, or - oh by the way, sorta quit my job yesterday - YAY me. Instant down-size on the stress factor, potentially more money as a per diem employee - I'm just going to keep pretending that I work there until they quit giving me patients.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Spring Break
First - children should not be promised specific things in the distant future when the parents financial situation is not in perfect balance. 2nd - children should not be promised things unless the parent fully intends to deliver, irregardless of pain and hardship.
I get the girl child for spring break every 4 years - at ages 8, 12, and 16. When these arrangements were made, I told my beautiful little girl that at 12, she would get to swim with the Dolphins. I knew it was expensive - but wow. Anyway - Momma has delivered. When we get home, I will add pics to this post. All in all this has been an amazing spring break.
We left after school and Friday, with the intention to stop in Naples, the Gateway to the Everglades, so we could stop along the Tamiami trail for photo ops and fun throughout the day on Saturday. Our first stop was Oscar Scherer state park. I have always wanted to stop there, and it was pretty nice, except right next to the freeway, and close enough to civilization that it attracts people that are more interested in seeing nature than taking care of it. Weird little phenomenon - if you are going to take the time to scoop your dog's poop into a bag - why would you leave the poop bag on the side of the trail? all 4 or 5 of you with various colored bags of various ages? Weird. The coolest thing we saw was a tortoise, he seemed a little nervous, while posing for pictures, but not in a huge hurry to get away. We left him at the side of the trail and walked casually toward our goal. Scrtchy, Scrtchy, scrtch. What is that? louder and faster. We turned - to see the tortoise hurling down the road at break-neck tortoise speed, heading right toward us. He stopped when he saw us looking, and turned into the brush at the side of the road. We moved on. Scrtchy, Scrtchy, Scrtch. Quickly we turned, he was back on the path, closer now, more determined. As soon as he saw us he turned back into the bushes, but he did not stop. Under the protection of scrub and palmettos he continued is quest, closer and closer he came. Rushing tortoises are not very fast, and we soon decided to not wait for the attack of our stalker tortoise, and we again turned down the road toward our car. I'm sure he was relieved to have our backs to him once again, because he popped back on the trail and continued towards us. It is sooo much easier to pull a sneak attack if your victims do not keep turning around to look at you. Oscar, as we came to call him, eventually tired, his footsteps came slower, and fainter, he headed toward a log, probably to rest, not knowing that he was losing his one chance to ensnare the paparazzi child that had plagued his life. We escaped. Breathless (with laughter) but safely back on the road.
No matter how scenic you expect it to be - I do not recommend US41 from Venice to Naples. Took way too long. So glad to stop at the hotel around 8:30pm
Everglades. US41 (the Tamiami Trail) IS the way to go south if you have time to kill and want to see real Florida. We take the trail either south or north everytime we come, and have never been disappointed. Our first stop was at some little state park with a board walk on the East side of the road. barely room to park two cars, couple of port-a-potties and the typical "Florida State Parks" sign. We pulled in behind a small van of birders. As we got out of the car we heard a very large bull-frog, I teased the girl about it being spring, and how the 'gators were mating, you have to be careful. Interesting question from the photogirl - why do bird-watchers travel in noisy, chaotic packs? looking up at the trees, all dizzy and disoriented arguing about the little specks flitting in the branches? Wouldn't it be easier to go alone? quietly? We soon scurried past them, leaving them to their flock.
One thing about swamps, once you are in it, especially around the edges where the cypress and oak trees cover everything, they are quiet. and eerie. We saw some really interesting tree formations, squirrels, birds. At the end of the board walk there was a HUGE alligator in the water. We watched him for awhile, got a few pictures, noticed some immature Ibis' that distracted our attention, then the 'gator let out a noise. Bull alligators are said to sound like bull frogs. NADA. Raising its huge head straight out of the water, puffing its throat up in preparation, tail and body undulating out of the water like a giant dragon dancing to mesmerize its virgin sacrifice, he Bellowed. Deep, and loud, a cross between and angry bull and a triumphant lion. He split the forest with his call. Whether seeking love, or issuing a challenge I don't know, but it was Awesome, in the true sense of the word, inspiring reverence and awe.
One of those "once in a lifetime" "change the way I look at the world" experiences. Nature hikes in the spring? only on board walks or not near water. Let my child swim in Florida in fresh water in the Spring? NO! I have always felt that nature is safe if you respect it, are aware of your environment and not stupid. I now think being in water near alligators in mating season is stupid, disrespectful, and shows a complete lack of awareness of your environment. Just my opinion, but one I will act on.
The next stop was a fun little airboat ride, It ended up just being me and the little girl. Martin, our guide was fantastic, he brought us up close to a nest of baby egrets, paused to let her try to get pictures of some red-wing blackbirds, and tons of flying blue Herons, and. . . . . . . . . (wait for it) . . . . . . . . . . Let the Girl drive. She did an awesome job, grinning the whole time. wait I have pics of that, the rest of this adventure is in the other camera, we have to wait until we get home to down load them.
Still to come - key deer, dolphin swim, dry tortugas
I get the girl child for spring break every 4 years - at ages 8, 12, and 16. When these arrangements were made, I told my beautiful little girl that at 12, she would get to swim with the Dolphins. I knew it was expensive - but wow. Anyway - Momma has delivered. When we get home, I will add pics to this post. All in all this has been an amazing spring break.
We left after school and Friday, with the intention to stop in Naples, the Gateway to the Everglades, so we could stop along the Tamiami trail for photo ops and fun throughout the day on Saturday. Our first stop was Oscar Scherer state park. I have always wanted to stop there, and it was pretty nice, except right next to the freeway, and close enough to civilization that it attracts people that are more interested in seeing nature than taking care of it. Weird little phenomenon - if you are going to take the time to scoop your dog's poop into a bag - why would you leave the poop bag on the side of the trail? all 4 or 5 of you with various colored bags of various ages? Weird. The coolest thing we saw was a tortoise, he seemed a little nervous, while posing for pictures, but not in a huge hurry to get away. We left him at the side of the trail and walked casually toward our goal. Scrtchy, Scrtchy, scrtch. What is that? louder and faster. We turned - to see the tortoise hurling down the road at break-neck tortoise speed, heading right toward us. He stopped when he saw us looking, and turned into the brush at the side of the road. We moved on. Scrtchy, Scrtchy, Scrtch. Quickly we turned, he was back on the path, closer now, more determined. As soon as he saw us he turned back into the bushes, but he did not stop. Under the protection of scrub and palmettos he continued is quest, closer and closer he came. Rushing tortoises are not very fast, and we soon decided to not wait for the attack of our stalker tortoise, and we again turned down the road toward our car. I'm sure he was relieved to have our backs to him once again, because he popped back on the trail and continued towards us. It is sooo much easier to pull a sneak attack if your victims do not keep turning around to look at you. Oscar, as we came to call him, eventually tired, his footsteps came slower, and fainter, he headed toward a log, probably to rest, not knowing that he was losing his one chance to ensnare the paparazzi child that had plagued his life. We escaped. Breathless (with laughter) but safely back on the road.
No matter how scenic you expect it to be - I do not recommend US41 from Venice to Naples. Took way too long. So glad to stop at the hotel around 8:30pm
Everglades. US41 (the Tamiami Trail) IS the way to go south if you have time to kill and want to see real Florida. We take the trail either south or north everytime we come, and have never been disappointed. Our first stop was at some little state park with a board walk on the East side of the road. barely room to park two cars, couple of port-a-potties and the typical "Florida State Parks" sign. We pulled in behind a small van of birders. As we got out of the car we heard a very large bull-frog, I teased the girl about it being spring, and how the 'gators were mating, you have to be careful. Interesting question from the photogirl - why do bird-watchers travel in noisy, chaotic packs? looking up at the trees, all dizzy and disoriented arguing about the little specks flitting in the branches? Wouldn't it be easier to go alone? quietly? We soon scurried past them, leaving them to their flock.
One thing about swamps, once you are in it, especially around the edges where the cypress and oak trees cover everything, they are quiet. and eerie. We saw some really interesting tree formations, squirrels, birds. At the end of the board walk there was a HUGE alligator in the water. We watched him for awhile, got a few pictures, noticed some immature Ibis' that distracted our attention, then the 'gator let out a noise. Bull alligators are said to sound like bull frogs. NADA. Raising its huge head straight out of the water, puffing its throat up in preparation, tail and body undulating out of the water like a giant dragon dancing to mesmerize its virgin sacrifice, he Bellowed. Deep, and loud, a cross between and angry bull and a triumphant lion. He split the forest with his call. Whether seeking love, or issuing a challenge I don't know, but it was Awesome, in the true sense of the word, inspiring reverence and awe.
One of those "once in a lifetime" "change the way I look at the world" experiences. Nature hikes in the spring? only on board walks or not near water. Let my child swim in Florida in fresh water in the Spring? NO! I have always felt that nature is safe if you respect it, are aware of your environment and not stupid. I now think being in water near alligators in mating season is stupid, disrespectful, and shows a complete lack of awareness of your environment. Just my opinion, but one I will act on.
Still to come - key deer, dolphin swim, dry tortugas
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Chipaholic
Did I mention that I'm a little compulsive? And sometimes my compulsions turn into obsessions? And lock myself into a spiral of "must dos" that used to be "want to's?" I have been making cookies for the Gym girl's meets since her very first one. I enjoy it, the girls expect it (I should say anticipate, they are all way too polite to expect anything from me), the parents sort of count on it. It is almost always chocolate chip, even if I do another variety, usually it is in addition to the chocolate. Gym Girl insists. She is not a big chocolate fan, but she LOVES chocolate chip cookies. In fact her only complaint about mine is that there are too many chips - don't worry, that particular complaint goes ignored.
At Christmas time this year some of my besties came over and we made cookies. Jill is an amazing cook, and one of the few people that I let run point in my kitchen. She was in charge of chocolate chip. She searched the internet for some recipes found a few she liked, and decided on a creative combo. The dough was delish, but I was thinking really? that much salt? MOLASSES in chocolate chip? bold. will never pass the "kid" test. I was sooooo wrong. The kids went nuts, even mine. They are now family fav's and the only chocolate chip recipe that I use. I am going to share this. I'm sure Jill won't mind, and even if she does - I have the only copy, as she scribbled it down on a piece of paper at my house and left it. If she ever wants to see her recipe again, she will keep quiet and let me do the talking.
Jill's Chocolate Chip
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup butter
2 lg eggs
1 1/2 Tbs. molasses
2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 cups chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 - make sure it is all the way heated before baking. drop by huge tablespoons onto cookie sheets. The sheet in the picture is extra large, I usually put 6-8 on a pan. Really, smaller cookies don't do as well with this recipe. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Let cool for 2 minutes before removing from pan.
Be prepared for the awe and admiration of all who know you. Hide a few for midnight snack attacks. Have plenty of milk on hand, the extra salt enhances flavor, but there is a huge thirst factor involved.
Thank Jill - but don't tell her where you got the recipe.
Jill's Chocolate Chip
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup butter
2 lg eggs
1 1/2 Tbs. molasses
2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 cups chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 - make sure it is all the way heated before baking. drop by huge tablespoons onto cookie sheets. The sheet in the picture is extra large, I usually put 6-8 on a pan. Really, smaller cookies don't do as well with this recipe. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Let cool for 2 minutes before removing from pan.
Be prepared for the awe and admiration of all who know you. Hide a few for midnight snack attacks. Have plenty of milk on hand, the extra salt enhances flavor, but there is a huge thirst factor involved.
Thank Jill - but don't tell her where you got the recipe.
Friday, March 12, 2010
pseudo anonymity
I am a new convert to the world of social networking. Maybe new is a loose term, I joined Face-book about a year ago and was instantly hooked. I first logged on right after my cousin's wedding in Hawaii (I did not go) and was delighted to find pictures. I emailed my uncle all excited about it, and he had not yet seen them. Instant family competition! My uncle joined that day, then called my mom to tell her he had seen video of her granddaughter doing gymnastics. So my mom joined, then my brother in Iraq. My sister joined, too, but she never logs on. I started digging up friends, sort of friends, and people I don't even remember from high school. I found professional contacts, old classmates, former co-workers, I even met people with similar interests.
I have not attempted Twitter, it seems to be all of the most annoying parts of Facebook, with none of the bonus tabs. I may change my mind, but right now I have enough trouble keeping up with the FB peeps.
This is the rant part of this post. I have 160+ Facebook friends. I actually know, and value, each of these people. I am very aware that each of my posts show up on their walls, and every comment is visible to all of their friends. My concern with the social networking phenomenon is that it gives many people a venue to be very honest, perhaps more honest than they would be face to face. Where this is most obvious to me is in political discussions. When I first got involved, Bush was our president, and republican held the political power. My wall was full of inflammatory rants from liberal groups. as the elections drew close, more conservatives came in. Now the political tide has changed and my wall is full of posts about Tea-parties, Islamic scare tactics, and the Christian Duty to Hold our American Values.
I believe that everyone has a right to hold any opinion, and everyone has a right to express them. I find conversations with people with diverse views to be fun, educational, entertaining. If I only talked to people that agreed with me, my life would be soooo boring. My FB friends are a testament to the diversity in my life, and I love discussing these views with many of these people. What I don't love is the way people post things on their walls that they would NEVER say to a mixed bag of people. Some of my peeps only have 5-6 friends, I get that they are talking to a small group of intimate friends. But some of my FB friends have hundreds of FB friends, and many of them are business contacts. Would they actually walk into a room full of potential clients and announce that this time there is REAL proof that president Obama was born outside the united states and he is secretly training terrorists on our military bases?
And even if your posts inspire many comments from the masses - is that really a conversation? If you are discussing religion or politics, shouldn't it be a conversation? a sharing of ideas? I have had these conversations with some of these folks, not with others. The ones I have not talked to are either not close enough to me to warrant the type of trust needed to engage in conversation about my deepest, personal beliefs; or they are obviously so passionate about their opinions that they are not ready or willing to listen and speak respectfully to opinions that are different from thiers. When I am asking or revealing this type of information, I like to look at faces. I like to judge the reaction to what I am saying, determine if it is a safe environment for me to rant and get a little heated, or if I need to spend more time listening, maybe even diffusing.
This type of baring of the superficial soul makes me feel voyeuristic in the lives of many of my acquaintances. I also wonder if the rampant "personal posters" are hiding behind their big opinions, without realizing that silence from their peeps is not agreement, but lack of willingness to engage publicly, in tiny sound bytes.
Keep your opinions, and express them. Just know your audience.
I have not attempted Twitter, it seems to be all of the most annoying parts of Facebook, with none of the bonus tabs. I may change my mind, but right now I have enough trouble keeping up with the FB peeps.
This is the rant part of this post. I have 160+ Facebook friends. I actually know, and value, each of these people. I am very aware that each of my posts show up on their walls, and every comment is visible to all of their friends. My concern with the social networking phenomenon is that it gives many people a venue to be very honest, perhaps more honest than they would be face to face. Where this is most obvious to me is in political discussions. When I first got involved, Bush was our president, and republican held the political power. My wall was full of inflammatory rants from liberal groups. as the elections drew close, more conservatives came in. Now the political tide has changed and my wall is full of posts about Tea-parties, Islamic scare tactics, and the Christian Duty to Hold our American Values.
I believe that everyone has a right to hold any opinion, and everyone has a right to express them. I find conversations with people with diverse views to be fun, educational, entertaining. If I only talked to people that agreed with me, my life would be soooo boring. My FB friends are a testament to the diversity in my life, and I love discussing these views with many of these people. What I don't love is the way people post things on their walls that they would NEVER say to a mixed bag of people. Some of my peeps only have 5-6 friends, I get that they are talking to a small group of intimate friends. But some of my FB friends have hundreds of FB friends, and many of them are business contacts. Would they actually walk into a room full of potential clients and announce that this time there is REAL proof that president Obama was born outside the united states and he is secretly training terrorists on our military bases?
And even if your posts inspire many comments from the masses - is that really a conversation? If you are discussing religion or politics, shouldn't it be a conversation? a sharing of ideas? I have had these conversations with some of these folks, not with others. The ones I have not talked to are either not close enough to me to warrant the type of trust needed to engage in conversation about my deepest, personal beliefs; or they are obviously so passionate about their opinions that they are not ready or willing to listen and speak respectfully to opinions that are different from thiers. When I am asking or revealing this type of information, I like to look at faces. I like to judge the reaction to what I am saying, determine if it is a safe environment for me to rant and get a little heated, or if I need to spend more time listening, maybe even diffusing.
This type of baring of the superficial soul makes me feel voyeuristic in the lives of many of my acquaintances. I also wonder if the rampant "personal posters" are hiding behind their big opinions, without realizing that silence from their peeps is not agreement, but lack of willingness to engage publicly, in tiny sound bytes.
Keep your opinions, and express them. Just know your audience.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Charter Choice
My daughter goes to a charter school. I had no idea what this was until I found one, and am still unclear on how it all works. I do know that as we approached kindergarten and the need to enroll her in school, I began that early quest that all parents of young children dread.
Tampa offers school choice. Meaning if you do not like your neighborhood school, due to poor academics or inconvenient location or whatever, you can request a transfer to a different school. Choices are honored if the requested school has openings. We also have magnet programs, specialized programs within the neighborhood schools that your kid can be transferred to if they show a particular interest or aptitude. i.e. engineering, performing arts, technology, health sciences, etc. Then I discovered Charter schools. These schools are chartered by a private board, taking operational control outside of the district, similar to a private school, but with public funding. !?!?! Basically, my kid gets a fantastic private school type education, but I don't pay extra for it. Before you jump on the "how can that be?" train - realize this is a state that offers vouchers to people to pull their kids out of failing public schools, to assuage the cost of private school. A lot of these private schools are parochial - hmmm government funds to educate kids in religious schools - separation of church and state is my favorite constitutional right, don't like it being messed with.
Today I got some education about the whole charter thing. Our school gets funds per child, like every other school in Hillsborough county. Our school then pays 5% of these funds back to the county to pay for services - I'm not sure what services, school nurse was mentioned, but I know that our school nurse does not get paid by the county. Our schools fiscal accountability includes MONTHLY reports to the state. The district is not in anyway required to audit their allocation of services to charter schools. We do not get bussing, or any of the other district services that I can think of, but we have excellent teachers, great programs, and beautiful facilities. To make up the difference between what the state gives and what our school offers is made up in grants, donations, and massive use of parental slave labor. Today I gained an appreciation for the hard work that all of our administration, faculty, board and behind the scenes volunteers do to keep our school running.
Across the board Florida is in a very tight budget crunch, we have been pegged as the next state to follow California into bankruptcy. With previous administrations pulling money away from public education (i.e vouchers) and the limited understanding by the public of the viability of charter schools as part of the PUBLIC education process, I am concerned that we will lose this incredible educational gem that we have.
I encourage anyone that reads this to call or write their legislators and encourage them to continue to fund education as their highest priority.
Tampa offers school choice. Meaning if you do not like your neighborhood school, due to poor academics or inconvenient location or whatever, you can request a transfer to a different school. Choices are honored if the requested school has openings. We also have magnet programs, specialized programs within the neighborhood schools that your kid can be transferred to if they show a particular interest or aptitude. i.e. engineering, performing arts, technology, health sciences, etc. Then I discovered Charter schools. These schools are chartered by a private board, taking operational control outside of the district, similar to a private school, but with public funding. !?!?! Basically, my kid gets a fantastic private school type education, but I don't pay extra for it. Before you jump on the "how can that be?" train - realize this is a state that offers vouchers to people to pull their kids out of failing public schools, to assuage the cost of private school. A lot of these private schools are parochial - hmmm government funds to educate kids in religious schools - separation of church and state is my favorite constitutional right, don't like it being messed with.
Today I got some education about the whole charter thing. Our school gets funds per child, like every other school in Hillsborough county. Our school then pays 5% of these funds back to the county to pay for services - I'm not sure what services, school nurse was mentioned, but I know that our school nurse does not get paid by the county. Our schools fiscal accountability includes MONTHLY reports to the state. The district is not in anyway required to audit their allocation of services to charter schools. We do not get bussing, or any of the other district services that I can think of, but we have excellent teachers, great programs, and beautiful facilities. To make up the difference between what the state gives and what our school offers is made up in grants, donations, and massive use of parental slave labor. Today I gained an appreciation for the hard work that all of our administration, faculty, board and behind the scenes volunteers do to keep our school running.
Across the board Florida is in a very tight budget crunch, we have been pegged as the next state to follow California into bankruptcy. With previous administrations pulling money away from public education (i.e vouchers) and the limited understanding by the public of the viability of charter schools as part of the PUBLIC education process, I am concerned that we will lose this incredible educational gem that we have.
I encourage anyone that reads this to call or write their legislators and encourage them to continue to fund education as their highest priority.
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