james brown's death has brought to the forefront his natural, cosmos-given incredible musical ability.......the guy could sing, dance and feeeeel his way through his music........never did i see a performance of his be neutral (like so many of today's pop music performers)..........the guy brought the energy of the cosmos into his being when he was singing........
just too damn bad he's put on this pedestal without remembering his violent side, without remembering he liked to smack women around........
media bias.......promoting male supremacy............enough already...........if we're going to highlight someone's life, let's not forget to bring in the darker side, too..........when does the media ever do this when it comes to men? look at princess diana and marilyn--the media did and continue to do an extensive job of covering their ills and closet secrets. wtf can they not give equal treatment to those famous men who pass?
and now gerald ford has died and it's all over the news.........yawn.......he did what for our country? not only was he the accidental president, he seems to be the invisible president........gerald who????
i know when i die, i don't want people sitting around and remembering only one side of me......i want people to remember all of me...........my idealism........my temper, too.............my soft, tenderness..........and those times when my words can cut like a knife........
may these folks rest in peace..........and may we remaining persons on planet earth remember them for who they were--in every facet.
12.26.2006
bizarro world
i applied for a freelance writing/editing position about 2 weeks ago. the magazine is set to launch in january. i followed the dude's instructions as expressed in his voicemail. "contact us with your material and we will get right back to you." suuuuuuuuure ya will. wtf is UP with folks not doing what they say? what is even worse is when i have said "you said you would do 'x' and you didn't" i very rarely receive an apology. just a list of excuses. i'm at a point where i want to create a special court system for those who have the gross habit of saying whatever they want and not owning up to their words or consequences resulting from their words.
for the freelance writing position, i also went through their site and found a major typo. they had misspelled one of their advertisers--a local biz. checking their site today, i noticed they changed the spelling. however, it is still misspelled.
so no response to my submission. not even a "thank you" for pointing out their error. flake. i already worked for a publisher who was a major flake. had all sorts of promises at the start, including the promise of a contract (i worked as a freelance writer). a contract that was never created despite my on-going requests, which in time became labeled as "nagging". i even wrote up my own contract but he just laughed and said he wouldn't sign it. when i would say "you never pay me on time" his answer was "hey at least i pay you". his reason for paying me with such inconsistency? "i cannot pay you until my advertisers pay me." moron. i finally quit. at one point i even said "you are a flake". his response? "i know." at least he owned it. made him more pitiful though.
here's another little ditty in my bizarro world. i haven't written about this before, at least i don't think i have. one of the things i do on the side is i pick up dog waste. yep, i pick up poop. not the most glamourous of jobs of course but, except for those days when it is a rainstorm of biblical proportions, it is easy money. my client list is pitifully small: one. i've had several calls but apparently people don't want spend more than $5/week or so on such a service. i charge a reasonable rate--$10/week for one dog, $15 for two. i provide all supplies. anyway last week i arrived to scoop. my client has a chain link fence. the entrance is two gates, which are held together by a chain and latch. well when it rains, the chain gets rusty. sometimes the owner loops the chain together very tightly, making it difficult to unlatch when it's dry. add the rain and it becomes quite the task. my fingers kept slipping and my hand, which already had a cut on it, kept bumping into the fence. after several minutes of this, i let out a "rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr" then let loose a couple of choice words. i then took a deep breath and went back at it. after another couple of minutes, i wasn't making any progress. my hands were very cold by this point and were covered with rust. my cut had also been rubbed open and was beginning to bleed. i considered my options. i could always just go and leave a note, explaining my dilemma. i am, afterall, to have easy access to the residence if i am to scoop. but i had already dropped off my bill in her mail slot. so i stared at the fence, put my hand on either side and shook it, let out a couple more choice words as i encouraged it to open, then went back at it. finally, i was able to get inside.
later that evening, my client called and asked what had happened today. at first i was confused until she said one of her neighbors had said someone was at her fence, swearing. i laughed and said i had had a bit of a tantrum trying to get into her gate. client didn't think this was funny. just kept repeating the words of her neighbor. while i wanted to say "your neighbor sounds like he or she has too much spare time on their hands. have they not gotten frustrated and expressed that frustration? were they not able to come out and ask me what was wrong?" i mean good lord............instead i put on my professional biz owner hat and said "i am sorry if my actions and choice of words disturbed your neighbor."
i would like to know which neighbor she was referring to. i'd like to give them a big fat smile when i see them and perhaps flip them the bird. i've been scooping at this home for over a year and a half. the neighbors know who i am by now. so silly...........although about what i would expect from our puritanical society. so uptight. this kind of public behavior is completely acceptable throughout parts of europe. i once had a friend visit italy. when she came back she told me i would appreciate it because people expressed themselves and their emotions very freely in public and it isn't looked down upon.
i already know i live in the wrong country. i'm not a christian. i don't support either political party. i despise capitalism, lies, greed and corporate/political corruption. i support sharing the wealth. i believe in freedom of expression. maybe i need to take my bizarro world underground.......i do fantasize--a lot--about coming into a lot of money, buying an acre in the woods, building a small, energy efficient/self sustainable cabin and spending my days gardening, creating music and art and hanging with my hub, dog and all that nature has to provide.
for the freelance writing position, i also went through their site and found a major typo. they had misspelled one of their advertisers--a local biz. checking their site today, i noticed they changed the spelling. however, it is still misspelled.
so no response to my submission. not even a "thank you" for pointing out their error. flake. i already worked for a publisher who was a major flake. had all sorts of promises at the start, including the promise of a contract (i worked as a freelance writer). a contract that was never created despite my on-going requests, which in time became labeled as "nagging". i even wrote up my own contract but he just laughed and said he wouldn't sign it. when i would say "you never pay me on time" his answer was "hey at least i pay you". his reason for paying me with such inconsistency? "i cannot pay you until my advertisers pay me." moron. i finally quit. at one point i even said "you are a flake". his response? "i know." at least he owned it. made him more pitiful though.
here's another little ditty in my bizarro world. i haven't written about this before, at least i don't think i have. one of the things i do on the side is i pick up dog waste. yep, i pick up poop. not the most glamourous of jobs of course but, except for those days when it is a rainstorm of biblical proportions, it is easy money. my client list is pitifully small: one. i've had several calls but apparently people don't want spend more than $5/week or so on such a service. i charge a reasonable rate--$10/week for one dog, $15 for two. i provide all supplies. anyway last week i arrived to scoop. my client has a chain link fence. the entrance is two gates, which are held together by a chain and latch. well when it rains, the chain gets rusty. sometimes the owner loops the chain together very tightly, making it difficult to unlatch when it's dry. add the rain and it becomes quite the task. my fingers kept slipping and my hand, which already had a cut on it, kept bumping into the fence. after several minutes of this, i let out a "rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr" then let loose a couple of choice words. i then took a deep breath and went back at it. after another couple of minutes, i wasn't making any progress. my hands were very cold by this point and were covered with rust. my cut had also been rubbed open and was beginning to bleed. i considered my options. i could always just go and leave a note, explaining my dilemma. i am, afterall, to have easy access to the residence if i am to scoop. but i had already dropped off my bill in her mail slot. so i stared at the fence, put my hand on either side and shook it, let out a couple more choice words as i encouraged it to open, then went back at it. finally, i was able to get inside.
later that evening, my client called and asked what had happened today. at first i was confused until she said one of her neighbors had said someone was at her fence, swearing. i laughed and said i had had a bit of a tantrum trying to get into her gate. client didn't think this was funny. just kept repeating the words of her neighbor. while i wanted to say "your neighbor sounds like he or she has too much spare time on their hands. have they not gotten frustrated and expressed that frustration? were they not able to come out and ask me what was wrong?" i mean good lord............instead i put on my professional biz owner hat and said "i am sorry if my actions and choice of words disturbed your neighbor."
i would like to know which neighbor she was referring to. i'd like to give them a big fat smile when i see them and perhaps flip them the bird. i've been scooping at this home for over a year and a half. the neighbors know who i am by now. so silly...........although about what i would expect from our puritanical society. so uptight. this kind of public behavior is completely acceptable throughout parts of europe. i once had a friend visit italy. when she came back she told me i would appreciate it because people expressed themselves and their emotions very freely in public and it isn't looked down upon.
i already know i live in the wrong country. i'm not a christian. i don't support either political party. i despise capitalism, lies, greed and corporate/political corruption. i support sharing the wealth. i believe in freedom of expression. maybe i need to take my bizarro world underground.......i do fantasize--a lot--about coming into a lot of money, buying an acre in the woods, building a small, energy efficient/self sustainable cabin and spending my days gardening, creating music and art and hanging with my hub, dog and all that nature has to provide.
the day after
christmas is over. bittersweet. had some excellent food. my two closest friends called which was very comforting. watched some movies and snuggled w/the hub. had some entertaining phone calls with some family members. had some painfully frustrating conversations with others. got to hear about the time, sweat and money my bro and his wife have put into building their new "you must believe in jesus lest you wish to enter hell upon death" dogma center. (aka: church). if i had drank more wine i would have had the courage to say "bastard" and hang up. sob can't help out his own sister when i asked but he sure as hell can invest himself into his church. hub's mom and dad is the same way. i will never understand these folks who say 'we serve the lord'. doesn't that mean you serve those you love and care about first and foremost?
got to hear from my dad's wife about the foreigners in their area, how in some places "we [the white folks] are the minority." also got to hear her mention the term "lower class" when referencing the foreigners. wtf does that mean? my dad is into the whole class thing, which is a joke considering he grew up poor, and you cannot take the poverty experience out of the human. dad's still that simple poor kid down the street at heart. he just likes to tell himself he's ok because he has money. it's sad in a way. what is insulting to me is that my spouse and i are part of this "lower" class, as defined by society, as believed in by my dad and his wife, so why she would even reference this in such a way is beyond me. perhaps it's the foot and mouth disease.......
also got to hear from my spouses siblings and bitch-from-hell sister in law ranting in the background. she has her religious foot stuck so far up her ass, she refuses to visit us simply because my hub failed to wish her a happy easter one year. when she flipped out on him for this "sin", he asked her to calm down. when she refused, he hung up. she has refused to speak with him since. well, we sent the family a package anyway, a package we asked if they had received given hub's brother (sis-in-law from hell's hub) didn't mention it arriving. he wasn't sure where it was so he asked sil from hell. we heard her in the background as she said it arrived a week ago and she said very catty-like, "it's at the post office. we'll get it later, geez!" no "thank you". no acknowledgement. nothing. that's it, as i told my spouse.
actually that's it in terms of gifts we send without acknowledgement, which means next year, instead of 10 packages, i'll be limiting it to 2. if whatever it is i am giving to or investing in isn't coming back to me in some way, even in the form of an acknowledgment, then i will no longer invest my energy.
some people would say "love anyway". i say that's a quick road to disappointment. i've tried to do the "have no expectations" mantra. i can convince my head of it but not my heart. never my heart. certain experiences i can release the need for expectations. but when it comes to family, when it comes to those who you know in your heart are supposed to love you, i cannot escape the needs, the wants. so, while i can love in my heart and have hope, i will no longer invest my time and energy into anyone or anything that is not answering me back in kind.
so another christmas has come and gone, leaving me thinking why do i celebrate it at all. each year i invest less and less energy into the whole event. i haven't believed in the whole jesus story in a very long time, if i ever really did at all. maybe a few years as a kid when i was brainwashed by the church. maybe it's the desire to create more time with people of my choosing, people i feel a real connection with and who feel the same about me. creating my own family. and taking the time to celebrate together. celebrate the simple act of spending time together laughing, crying, talking, eating. even arguing now and then, then working through understanding and forgiving. being real.
got to hear from my dad's wife about the foreigners in their area, how in some places "we [the white folks] are the minority." also got to hear her mention the term "lower class" when referencing the foreigners. wtf does that mean? my dad is into the whole class thing, which is a joke considering he grew up poor, and you cannot take the poverty experience out of the human. dad's still that simple poor kid down the street at heart. he just likes to tell himself he's ok because he has money. it's sad in a way. what is insulting to me is that my spouse and i are part of this "lower" class, as defined by society, as believed in by my dad and his wife, so why she would even reference this in such a way is beyond me. perhaps it's the foot and mouth disease.......
also got to hear from my spouses siblings and bitch-from-hell sister in law ranting in the background. she has her religious foot stuck so far up her ass, she refuses to visit us simply because my hub failed to wish her a happy easter one year. when she flipped out on him for this "sin", he asked her to calm down. when she refused, he hung up. she has refused to speak with him since. well, we sent the family a package anyway, a package we asked if they had received given hub's brother (sis-in-law from hell's hub) didn't mention it arriving. he wasn't sure where it was so he asked sil from hell. we heard her in the background as she said it arrived a week ago and she said very catty-like, "it's at the post office. we'll get it later, geez!" no "thank you". no acknowledgement. nothing. that's it, as i told my spouse.
actually that's it in terms of gifts we send without acknowledgement, which means next year, instead of 10 packages, i'll be limiting it to 2. if whatever it is i am giving to or investing in isn't coming back to me in some way, even in the form of an acknowledgment, then i will no longer invest my energy.
some people would say "love anyway". i say that's a quick road to disappointment. i've tried to do the "have no expectations" mantra. i can convince my head of it but not my heart. never my heart. certain experiences i can release the need for expectations. but when it comes to family, when it comes to those who you know in your heart are supposed to love you, i cannot escape the needs, the wants. so, while i can love in my heart and have hope, i will no longer invest my time and energy into anyone or anything that is not answering me back in kind.
so another christmas has come and gone, leaving me thinking why do i celebrate it at all. each year i invest less and less energy into the whole event. i haven't believed in the whole jesus story in a very long time, if i ever really did at all. maybe a few years as a kid when i was brainwashed by the church. maybe it's the desire to create more time with people of my choosing, people i feel a real connection with and who feel the same about me. creating my own family. and taking the time to celebrate together. celebrate the simple act of spending time together laughing, crying, talking, eating. even arguing now and then, then working through understanding and forgiving. being real.
12.22.2006
Festivus for the Rest of Us
if you never watched seinfeld, you won't know what i am talking about. however if you did, you know what festivus is. it's for those of us who feel a certain disdain for christmas. all of those feelings of love and peace come into conflict with the pain that seems to rear its little head the most intensely during this time of year.
in honor of that television tradition, let me dedicate this post to those people in my life who have disappointed me this past year.
1) my spouses employer. you renigged on a promise of job title and pay. you then did away with vacation time. all of this to save money. you are a greedy pig.
2) employers i worked for or attempted to work for. too numerous to list. you all had a few things in common: an inability to keep your word; an inability to communicate your intentions, even when they had changed; and a refusal to own up to your end of any misunderstanding or conflict. you're all flakes.
3) our landlord. you've let this place fall apart while raising the rent. you made an illegal entry then threw a hissy fit when we called you on it. you have failed to keep your promises of repairs and landscape upkeep. and you have had the gall to complain about your financial life, at times using it as an excuse not to make a repair. you are both greedy and a flake.
4) certain members of our family. lots of promises to visit that never happened. distancing of yourselves because we aren't of your religious faith. in one instance, not only distancing but a flat out refusal to step foot in our house. all i can say is thank god for the nieces and nephews. it is you who keep us hopeful and our hearts attached. too damn bad your parents are so stupid.
5) certain organizations here in town who employ certain people who are clueless as to what it means to live in poverty, what it means to have health problems, what it means to be underpaid, what it means to look for and compete for work. your lack of compassion and sympathy do a disservice to the term "social service agency". may karma visit you and see you through to your termination of employment.
6) former friends. those folks who have bailed when conflict arose or when they couldn't handle seeing the struggles of yours truly (spouse included). so sorry my life was too difficult for you to handle. we're better off without you. i only hope others see behind that smile, that laugh. it's a facade. life ain't all smiles. it's smiles and frowns. thought you would have learned that by the time you entered your 40's.
happy holidays. and for the rest of us, happy festivus. OY
in honor of that television tradition, let me dedicate this post to those people in my life who have disappointed me this past year.
1) my spouses employer. you renigged on a promise of job title and pay. you then did away with vacation time. all of this to save money. you are a greedy pig.
2) employers i worked for or attempted to work for. too numerous to list. you all had a few things in common: an inability to keep your word; an inability to communicate your intentions, even when they had changed; and a refusal to own up to your end of any misunderstanding or conflict. you're all flakes.
3) our landlord. you've let this place fall apart while raising the rent. you made an illegal entry then threw a hissy fit when we called you on it. you have failed to keep your promises of repairs and landscape upkeep. and you have had the gall to complain about your financial life, at times using it as an excuse not to make a repair. you are both greedy and a flake.
4) certain members of our family. lots of promises to visit that never happened. distancing of yourselves because we aren't of your religious faith. in one instance, not only distancing but a flat out refusal to step foot in our house. all i can say is thank god for the nieces and nephews. it is you who keep us hopeful and our hearts attached. too damn bad your parents are so stupid.
5) certain organizations here in town who employ certain people who are clueless as to what it means to live in poverty, what it means to have health problems, what it means to be underpaid, what it means to look for and compete for work. your lack of compassion and sympathy do a disservice to the term "social service agency". may karma visit you and see you through to your termination of employment.
6) former friends. those folks who have bailed when conflict arose or when they couldn't handle seeing the struggles of yours truly (spouse included). so sorry my life was too difficult for you to handle. we're better off without you. i only hope others see behind that smile, that laugh. it's a facade. life ain't all smiles. it's smiles and frowns. thought you would have learned that by the time you entered your 40's.
happy holidays. and for the rest of us, happy festivus. OY
12.19.2006
joke
what do you get when you cross a would-be employer and promises of work? in my case, a FLAKE.
i recently wrote to this would-be person, stating after some contemplation, i believed they needed to compensate me for work i turned down. why? because i was waiting for work to come from them. work, by the way, that was told would be coming. first promised on a particular week (the week i turned down the offer of extra work from my current employer) then later promised in the upcoming 2 weeks. it turned into an utter dead end when i was told (after i made contact) all was on hold.
now this person has the nerve to tell me they owe me no such thing considering i should have written them telling me of this extra work opportunity. wtf? does this person fail to remember his own words? to add insult to injury, he said instead of compensating me for potential lost work opportunity (potential?? IT WAS A LOST WORK OPPORTUNITY, idiot), he said he will offer me their at-home course at no charge.
what a pretentious assumption to make. what an insult. and how utterly arrogant. typical salesman pitch.
i wrote back, reiterating his responsibility in the matter and again, this time rather than asking, commanding him to pay me. no more ms. nice gal.
good thing i found out about him before i was months into working for him. it has been my experience with so many of these new age folks that they are, in a nutshell, flaky. flightly. and completely unwilling (incapable?) of doing what they say and taking responsibility for their own words, instead saying such nonsense as "we are sorry things did not work out". excuse me, do not imply things did not work out because of what i did. you are the one who promised me work. you failed to deliver on that. and it is i who had to contact you to find out your intentions had changed. and not once did you say "woops, you are right, i did say these things to you and i am sorry for that." and in this situation, i e-mailed him his own e-mails, his own words.
put any of this on me? don't think so. look in the mirror. this one is on YOU.
i recently wrote to this would-be person, stating after some contemplation, i believed they needed to compensate me for work i turned down. why? because i was waiting for work to come from them. work, by the way, that was told would be coming. first promised on a particular week (the week i turned down the offer of extra work from my current employer) then later promised in the upcoming 2 weeks. it turned into an utter dead end when i was told (after i made contact) all was on hold.
now this person has the nerve to tell me they owe me no such thing considering i should have written them telling me of this extra work opportunity. wtf? does this person fail to remember his own words? to add insult to injury, he said instead of compensating me for potential lost work opportunity (potential?? IT WAS A LOST WORK OPPORTUNITY, idiot), he said he will offer me their at-home course at no charge.
what a pretentious assumption to make. what an insult. and how utterly arrogant. typical salesman pitch.
i wrote back, reiterating his responsibility in the matter and again, this time rather than asking, commanding him to pay me. no more ms. nice gal.
good thing i found out about him before i was months into working for him. it has been my experience with so many of these new age folks that they are, in a nutshell, flaky. flightly. and completely unwilling (incapable?) of doing what they say and taking responsibility for their own words, instead saying such nonsense as "we are sorry things did not work out". excuse me, do not imply things did not work out because of what i did. you are the one who promised me work. you failed to deliver on that. and it is i who had to contact you to find out your intentions had changed. and not once did you say "woops, you are right, i did say these things to you and i am sorry for that." and in this situation, i e-mailed him his own e-mails, his own words.
put any of this on me? don't think so. look in the mirror. this one is on YOU.
12.18.2006
Religious Hypocrisy
i received a christmas newsletter over the weekend from my brother and his family. his wife created it. it was in the form of a poem. a very clever, cute poem. something i would have no issues with if it weren't for the blaring hypocrisy.
my brother and his wife are very religious. so much so that they created their own church as modeled by their previous church, located in the state in which they used to reside. i've written about their beliefs in previous posts of long ago. let's just say their religious beliefs by and large clash with mine. he has his, i have mine. although ask my brother and he will say his are right and mine are wrong.
the newsletter spoke in quite a bit of detail about their church, the time and energy and money they've devoted to getting it off the ground and assisting in running it. they "serve the lord", as they put it.
again, in and of itself, no problem there. however, being they have found so much love and compassion in their hearts to devote to this, when in the hell has that love been sent my way? i would like to write them and say "hey, remember me? the sister/sister-inlaw? the one who loaned you my wedding dress because you couldn't afford to buy one? the one who played at your wedding and who threw you your bridal party? the one who let you stay with me while you were looking for work in the same city in which i lived? the one who did your resumes? the one who GAVE you money for college (while i was in college myself) because mom and dad had failed to do as promise? the one who agreed, lovingly, to be the godmother for your son? the one who babysat your son countless times, including traveling out of state to do so, never asking nor expecting anything in return other than maybe you come visit? the one who, along with my spouse, visited you numerous times over the years, hoping you would keep your word and visit us only to be disappointed and in time, gave up knowing the words were just words? the one who, upon your turning "religious", was told that my beliefs were bullshit, my feelings crap, that i was selfish for thinking on my own rather than reading the bible and believing some supposed church leader bible expert, and that just about every word that has ever come out of my mouth, you disagree with? the one who, when i announced i was getting married, i got criticized for having it on a weekday, even though i chose that day to honor a family member's birthday who had long since passed? and to add further insult to injury, who was criticized when i asked for your children, my niece and nephew, to be a part of the wedding, saying i "should not have" done that without checking with the family patriarch, despite the matriarch, mama bear, saying she was fine with the kids partaking? and adding even further insult to injury, when mama bear decided to write me a letter stating the reasons why i should not marry my spouse, claiming the entire family felt that way (which i later found out was utterly untrue) and when i got upset with her, not for her expressing her truth but in how she said it and when (2 days before christmas--when we were all planning to get togehter), i got critized sharply and then got told "it was all my fault" because my spouse was now hurt (saying i had no business sharing this information with him). and who, when i asked you, brother, for money during a time when my spouse and i struggled with health issues and lack of employment, was told "no" and later was offered such loving, brilliant advice from your wife who said "go pick broccoli" and that "we cannot give you anything" even though you were living RENT FREE (while making a good salary) with mom while you looked for a home to buy."
you serve the lord? bullshit. when you serve "god" you serve people, which means you put your family FIRST. i've done that for you both many times in the past, even when i have been sick with anxiety and panic. i see through your hypocrisy. have seen it over the years. now that i have read your words, i see it even more clearly now for your actions and words are now in direct alignment.
my brother and his wife are very religious. so much so that they created their own church as modeled by their previous church, located in the state in which they used to reside. i've written about their beliefs in previous posts of long ago. let's just say their religious beliefs by and large clash with mine. he has his, i have mine. although ask my brother and he will say his are right and mine are wrong.
the newsletter spoke in quite a bit of detail about their church, the time and energy and money they've devoted to getting it off the ground and assisting in running it. they "serve the lord", as they put it.
again, in and of itself, no problem there. however, being they have found so much love and compassion in their hearts to devote to this, when in the hell has that love been sent my way? i would like to write them and say "hey, remember me? the sister/sister-inlaw? the one who loaned you my wedding dress because you couldn't afford to buy one? the one who played at your wedding and who threw you your bridal party? the one who let you stay with me while you were looking for work in the same city in which i lived? the one who did your resumes? the one who GAVE you money for college (while i was in college myself) because mom and dad had failed to do as promise? the one who agreed, lovingly, to be the godmother for your son? the one who babysat your son countless times, including traveling out of state to do so, never asking nor expecting anything in return other than maybe you come visit? the one who, along with my spouse, visited you numerous times over the years, hoping you would keep your word and visit us only to be disappointed and in time, gave up knowing the words were just words? the one who, upon your turning "religious", was told that my beliefs were bullshit, my feelings crap, that i was selfish for thinking on my own rather than reading the bible and believing some supposed church leader bible expert, and that just about every word that has ever come out of my mouth, you disagree with? the one who, when i announced i was getting married, i got criticized for having it on a weekday, even though i chose that day to honor a family member's birthday who had long since passed? and to add further insult to injury, who was criticized when i asked for your children, my niece and nephew, to be a part of the wedding, saying i "should not have" done that without checking with the family patriarch, despite the matriarch, mama bear, saying she was fine with the kids partaking? and adding even further insult to injury, when mama bear decided to write me a letter stating the reasons why i should not marry my spouse, claiming the entire family felt that way (which i later found out was utterly untrue) and when i got upset with her, not for her expressing her truth but in how she said it and when (2 days before christmas--when we were all planning to get togehter), i got critized sharply and then got told "it was all my fault" because my spouse was now hurt (saying i had no business sharing this information with him). and who, when i asked you, brother, for money during a time when my spouse and i struggled with health issues and lack of employment, was told "no" and later was offered such loving, brilliant advice from your wife who said "go pick broccoli" and that "we cannot give you anything" even though you were living RENT FREE (while making a good salary) with mom while you looked for a home to buy."
you serve the lord? bullshit. when you serve "god" you serve people, which means you put your family FIRST. i've done that for you both many times in the past, even when i have been sick with anxiety and panic. i see through your hypocrisy. have seen it over the years. now that i have read your words, i see it even more clearly now for your actions and words are now in direct alignment.
mankind vs. beast vs. planet
i tried posting this yesterday but either blogger or my browser was behaving dysfunctionally. i can no longer find the article so i'll just have to paraphrase. an elephant was shot and killed in india last week. this elephant had (supposedly) been terrorizing a village off and on for 2 years, trampling huts and people alike. a day or so later, after being killed, some of the other members of this elephant's herd charged through this same village, creating further havoc.
no surprise there. elephant's are very intelligent and every bit as emotional and connected with their "families" as we humans are.
once again, we are seeing another terrible example of what happens when humans invade a space and consume the surrounding resources. something always must be lost so that humans can gain. now of course i could go on and on about this, but then i would be a hypocrite, wouldn't i? the land on which my house resides had to see loss of vegetation and a displacement of a variety of animal species, all so i could have a warm place to live. and if an elephant were trampling the homes in my neighborhood, terrorizing the people, the children, the pets, i would want it removed. if it harmed (or worse) my dog or my spouse, i wouldn't hesitate putting a bullet through its head.
what the hell is the balance anymore? can there be a balance? is it possible for every living creature to have what they need at this stage in the evolutionary game?
when we speak of overpopulation, that angers a lot of people. "we have the RIGHT" is something we humans love to spout. "we have the RIGHT to have as many kids as we want!" "we have the RIGHT to build this 10,000 square foot mansion!" "we have the RIGHT to drive this car wherever we wish!" the question i've been asking myself when i have these same thoughts is "according to whom?" who says i have this right? i believe it's just me. and being there is more than just me residing on this planet, it is only fair that i consider others. not that this is easy for me to do. life has not been easy for me--at all. i don't have a strong family system. they're half-assed at best. certainly not predictable in their reliability. i struggle with depression and anxiety/panic. i have a couple of friends, one locally, who i know i could count on. i have my spouse, whose family is even more deplorable than my own. his friend situation is no better than mine. it could be worse, i realize that. but it could also be a hell of a lot better! given the life i have lived, it is difficult for me to consider others. when you've been kicked around and when it goes against your inherent desire to fight back, or fight at all, when life has simply not given you what you have tried to achieve, it is natural to fall into the "me first at the expense of you" mentality. i try not to. but it's there nonetheless.
one of the things i am opening up to is presenting something not only to myself but to the people of this planet. wouldn't it be wonderful if we could all begin to talk about how we live. truly how we live. how we consume. how we interact with others around us. difficult to do for most considering it takes time to think at this level and who wants to realize that they could cut back on what they are consuming. there's a lot of talk about elevating consciousness. that has, overall, been a joke. i was once part of the new age/new thought movement. these folks love to talk about love of self and connecting with a higher intelligence, connecting with our higher selves. however, none have offered up any answer to the planetary crisis. they think simply having positive thoughts about it all is enough. hypocritical it is to me to see so many of these folks live a life of luxury, claiming this is due to their own thoughts and the gifts of the universe. i used to cling to those words. now they repel me. sure, thoughts and intentions create. and i believe the universe doesn't judge. (if it did, think we'd have this mess?) but don't these people realize their gluttony is causing others to go without (gluttony only as defined by the truth that the planet could not sustain their lifestyles for all)? don't they realize that there are only so many resources to go around and that if everyone were to live THEIR lifestyle, the planet could in no way sustain it? let's talk about, instead, of living in HARMONY (and i'm not just talking about peaceful spiritual harmony) with the earth. we need to establish some guidelines, beginning with creating a scenario that depicts what is the maximum lifestyle each of us can live (equally) that will be sustainable for our planet.
it's quite simple. while i realize that the above scenario and necessary thoughtfulness would be a very difficult pill to swallow, and while i realize not all would choose to live alike, we ALL deserve to have the equal chance to do just that.
no surprise there. elephant's are very intelligent and every bit as emotional and connected with their "families" as we humans are.
once again, we are seeing another terrible example of what happens when humans invade a space and consume the surrounding resources. something always must be lost so that humans can gain. now of course i could go on and on about this, but then i would be a hypocrite, wouldn't i? the land on which my house resides had to see loss of vegetation and a displacement of a variety of animal species, all so i could have a warm place to live. and if an elephant were trampling the homes in my neighborhood, terrorizing the people, the children, the pets, i would want it removed. if it harmed (or worse) my dog or my spouse, i wouldn't hesitate putting a bullet through its head.
what the hell is the balance anymore? can there be a balance? is it possible for every living creature to have what they need at this stage in the evolutionary game?
when we speak of overpopulation, that angers a lot of people. "we have the RIGHT" is something we humans love to spout. "we have the RIGHT to have as many kids as we want!" "we have the RIGHT to build this 10,000 square foot mansion!" "we have the RIGHT to drive this car wherever we wish!" the question i've been asking myself when i have these same thoughts is "according to whom?" who says i have this right? i believe it's just me. and being there is more than just me residing on this planet, it is only fair that i consider others. not that this is easy for me to do. life has not been easy for me--at all. i don't have a strong family system. they're half-assed at best. certainly not predictable in their reliability. i struggle with depression and anxiety/panic. i have a couple of friends, one locally, who i know i could count on. i have my spouse, whose family is even more deplorable than my own. his friend situation is no better than mine. it could be worse, i realize that. but it could also be a hell of a lot better! given the life i have lived, it is difficult for me to consider others. when you've been kicked around and when it goes against your inherent desire to fight back, or fight at all, when life has simply not given you what you have tried to achieve, it is natural to fall into the "me first at the expense of you" mentality. i try not to. but it's there nonetheless.
one of the things i am opening up to is presenting something not only to myself but to the people of this planet. wouldn't it be wonderful if we could all begin to talk about how we live. truly how we live. how we consume. how we interact with others around us. difficult to do for most considering it takes time to think at this level and who wants to realize that they could cut back on what they are consuming. there's a lot of talk about elevating consciousness. that has, overall, been a joke. i was once part of the new age/new thought movement. these folks love to talk about love of self and connecting with a higher intelligence, connecting with our higher selves. however, none have offered up any answer to the planetary crisis. they think simply having positive thoughts about it all is enough. hypocritical it is to me to see so many of these folks live a life of luxury, claiming this is due to their own thoughts and the gifts of the universe. i used to cling to those words. now they repel me. sure, thoughts and intentions create. and i believe the universe doesn't judge. (if it did, think we'd have this mess?) but don't these people realize their gluttony is causing others to go without (gluttony only as defined by the truth that the planet could not sustain their lifestyles for all)? don't they realize that there are only so many resources to go around and that if everyone were to live THEIR lifestyle, the planet could in no way sustain it? let's talk about, instead, of living in HARMONY (and i'm not just talking about peaceful spiritual harmony) with the earth. we need to establish some guidelines, beginning with creating a scenario that depicts what is the maximum lifestyle each of us can live (equally) that will be sustainable for our planet.
it's quite simple. while i realize that the above scenario and necessary thoughtfulness would be a very difficult pill to swallow, and while i realize not all would choose to live alike, we ALL deserve to have the equal chance to do just that.
12.14.2006
A Friend In Need of Help
i have a good friend that, whenever i speak with, always seems to humble me and make me realize my problems ain't so difficult. at least compared to hers. this is a woman who lost custody to two of her children last year. some family court judge awarded the ex-husband primary custody. money seems to be the motivating factor. the ex has it, my friend does not. you can buy justice in this country if you have $$, the right judge and attorney's running the show.
this decision........a nightmare decision if ever there was one. he abuses the kids, especially the youngest, who he never wanted to begin with. my friend left this man (and the state in which he lives) when she was pregnant with the youngest back in early 1997, moved out here (where we met shortly thereafter) and started a new life for herself and her children. however, he came back into her life, full of promises of being a "changed man". desperate to have a family again and a father for her children, she returned to him in late 2000 where they then remarried. within a few months, she knew he had manipulated her. he hadn't changed one bit. if anything, his mood swings and violent behavior had only increased. i met the man once. that was enough for me. everything in me said this was someone not to be trusted. my spouse received the same impression.
the youngest daughter, who i knew the first 3 years of her life when it was just she and her mama and sisters, was a very happy, outgoing child. she had a sparkle in her eyes that put a smile in your heart and on your face. she could transform the grinch with just one of her giggles.
however, tragically and sadly, upon reuniting with daddy, this child's behavior took a drastic turn for the worst. when she visited with her mama and sisters just a little over a year after they had left to be with him again, i noticed the spark in her eye was gone. she was no longer the happy, outgoing little girl i had grown to know and love. replaced was a child who was very moody, clingy and defiant. she had taken up hitting and biting. to say this was an angry child was an understatement. she was particular clingy with my spouse. it was as though she was desperate for an adult male to love her and show her attention.
if this weren't bad enough, my friend is now recovering from cancer. she's also in the process of trying to regain custody. she and i are on a crusade to see that this happens. we will be writing talk shows and contacting powerful attorney's in the hopes of finding one who will take the case pro bono. if anyone knows of such a person, please post your contact information in the comment section. thank you.
this decision........a nightmare decision if ever there was one. he abuses the kids, especially the youngest, who he never wanted to begin with. my friend left this man (and the state in which he lives) when she was pregnant with the youngest back in early 1997, moved out here (where we met shortly thereafter) and started a new life for herself and her children. however, he came back into her life, full of promises of being a "changed man". desperate to have a family again and a father for her children, she returned to him in late 2000 where they then remarried. within a few months, she knew he had manipulated her. he hadn't changed one bit. if anything, his mood swings and violent behavior had only increased. i met the man once. that was enough for me. everything in me said this was someone not to be trusted. my spouse received the same impression.
the youngest daughter, who i knew the first 3 years of her life when it was just she and her mama and sisters, was a very happy, outgoing child. she had a sparkle in her eyes that put a smile in your heart and on your face. she could transform the grinch with just one of her giggles.
however, tragically and sadly, upon reuniting with daddy, this child's behavior took a drastic turn for the worst. when she visited with her mama and sisters just a little over a year after they had left to be with him again, i noticed the spark in her eye was gone. she was no longer the happy, outgoing little girl i had grown to know and love. replaced was a child who was very moody, clingy and defiant. she had taken up hitting and biting. to say this was an angry child was an understatement. she was particular clingy with my spouse. it was as though she was desperate for an adult male to love her and show her attention.
if this weren't bad enough, my friend is now recovering from cancer. she's also in the process of trying to regain custody. she and i are on a crusade to see that this happens. we will be writing talk shows and contacting powerful attorney's in the hopes of finding one who will take the case pro bono. if anyone knows of such a person, please post your contact information in the comment section. thank you.
12.12.2006
potential to make more income
'tis the answer i received from the local hospital's financial/billing office. the question? we need financial assistance for a hospital bill can you please help us? after turning in our income statement for the prior 12 months, even though we fall within their own income guidelines for free care, stephanie (skank bitches name who is now on my personal shit list) decided to decline our request because of our earning potential. she claims it can be more.
no shit, sherlock. it can be a lot more. for us. and many others.
when i was told this by her assistant, i laughed and said "ok and your point is....." ? that was before i flipped my lid..........
so now i get to (ok, choose to) appeal where upon i must explain to them why i am only working part-time (their main issue was with me and my part-time employment) and lay out the steps i have taken to find additional part-time work. oh goodie. let's revisit the last year of employment-seeking hell. just in time for the holidays, too!
i will make sure i include my latest fiasco, where upon i was sold yet another lie by a biz owner who, after having me do some work for him over the course of a few weeks, decided the stresses of life were eating away at him, so he took off for some r & r. "i will call you when i return and assign you more work," he said. he returned, but no phone call arrived. i contacted him. "i am not quite ready to assign you work. please bear with me." i waited a few weeks and contacted him yet again. biz owner, who is now a royal jackass in my book, said "oh but wait, there is no work for you. it was never my intention that you wait for me. (oh really??? i believe the terms "i will have work for you" and "please bear with me" constitute WAITING.) i will be off for the holidays. (and you were going to tell me this when???) and i have put all contract work on hold. (again, you were going to tell me this when???)"
my response to his bullshit diatribe has yet to receive a response.
if life were fair and just, which is to say if people (like the above) were fair and just, i would receive compensation for this type of inconsiderate crap. until then, i get to explain to employees like stephanie, young enough to be my f'ing child and who hasn't a clue what it's like to look for work in today's market, why i am worthy of some financial assistance and justify what i have done to seek additional work this past year. i despise doing this and desire, instead, to tell her to bend over so i can kick her ass into the next county. or at least out of her cushy little job. let me have it. she can walk in my shoes for awhile. maybe then she'll catch a clue............
no shit, sherlock. it can be a lot more. for us. and many others.
when i was told this by her assistant, i laughed and said "ok and your point is....." ? that was before i flipped my lid..........
so now i get to (ok, choose to) appeal where upon i must explain to them why i am only working part-time (their main issue was with me and my part-time employment) and lay out the steps i have taken to find additional part-time work. oh goodie. let's revisit the last year of employment-seeking hell. just in time for the holidays, too!
i will make sure i include my latest fiasco, where upon i was sold yet another lie by a biz owner who, after having me do some work for him over the course of a few weeks, decided the stresses of life were eating away at him, so he took off for some r & r. "i will call you when i return and assign you more work," he said. he returned, but no phone call arrived. i contacted him. "i am not quite ready to assign you work. please bear with me." i waited a few weeks and contacted him yet again. biz owner, who is now a royal jackass in my book, said "oh but wait, there is no work for you. it was never my intention that you wait for me. (oh really??? i believe the terms "i will have work for you" and "please bear with me" constitute WAITING.) i will be off for the holidays. (and you were going to tell me this when???) and i have put all contract work on hold. (again, you were going to tell me this when???)"
my response to his bullshit diatribe has yet to receive a response.
if life were fair and just, which is to say if people (like the above) were fair and just, i would receive compensation for this type of inconsiderate crap. until then, i get to explain to employees like stephanie, young enough to be my f'ing child and who hasn't a clue what it's like to look for work in today's market, why i am worthy of some financial assistance and justify what i have done to seek additional work this past year. i despise doing this and desire, instead, to tell her to bend over so i can kick her ass into the next county. or at least out of her cushy little job. let me have it. she can walk in my shoes for awhile. maybe then she'll catch a clue............
12.11.2006
Sorry, I cannot do that.
i've been posting about my job search experience the past few days on a local website. the responses have surprised me. most have basically said, in a nutshell, "shut up and accept things as they are." one poster even said, "you asked why you should accept things as they are. um, because that IS how things are." wow! what an amazing ability this person has in engaging in dialogue of depth. encore, encore.
shut up? sorry, i cannot do that.
i brought up several points for discussion, including the low wages, lack of benefits, employers who are more interested in skills (which can be taught) than they are in interest or personality, the ever-invasive use of drug testing (which is not reliable. some of the most dangerous and harmful drugs are out of the system within 72 hours) and the ever-elusive background check. no way will i agree to "whatever means necessary". tell me precisely what those means are and we can discuss it.
most shocking to me was being told the employment situation is not a two-way deal. wtf? what is it then? also surprising was being told i had no right to demand a thing of an employer.
baaa baaaaa baaaaa
in all seriousness, such responses are frightening and should scare the shit out of all prospective applicants. the forces-that-be have done their job in brainwashing a large lot of american slaves, er i mean workers.
the assumptions about me were equally amusing. it was assumed i was in my 20's. male. uneducated. and, weirdly enough, not capable of working as an independent contractor (who the hell knows how this assumption was comprised). i laughed as i said i was 40, female, college-educated and my current and previous position consisted of contract work.
anyway.............i am still apathetic to my employment situation. actually apathetic isn't the word. depressed doesn't even adaquately apply. how do i feel? hmmm. blank. maybe that word will suffice for now.
i am holding on to a grain of hope here. don't know if it's wishful, fantasy-like thinking or not. don't know if there is any chance this hope is based on any universal truth or principle. or possibility. but something in me has always known i need to work for myself. have my own organization. yes, i admit, i have a difficult time working for others, especially when there is a clash in values between myself and the boss. i once worked for an accounting firm. it was there that i learned there is indeed truth in stereotypes. cpa's, at least at this firm, are boring as hell and oh so uptight. i remember one of them told a joke and everyone but me was laughing hysterically. feigning a smile, i quietly walked away. although i do admit to feeling a sense of relief that they could actually laugh! it was the first time i had ever seen one such cpa smile! i also remember the time when one of the cpa's has given me his billing sheet. i noticed he had charged full price for helping his sister with her taxes. figuring this was an error, i brought it to his attention. gruffly he said "full price". i stood there by the side of his desk, hand on my heart. "but this is your sister. surely, you would at least consider offering her a discounted rate." the look he gave me made it clear he was indeed serious and i had better get my bleeding-heart ass out of his office.
back to this grain of hope. for some time now i have known there is a group of people i am "meant" to meet. this feeling, this knowing, won't go away. it's the same feeling i had when i was waiting for my husband to show up. i had absolutely no doubt he was out there looking for me. so i am very familiar with this feeling. these people i am meant to connect with......a group of like-minded folks. humanitarians. passionate, independent thinkers. maybe even those who feel a little like outcasts, perhaps some even having gone through similar experiences as have i. we are meant to meet and form an organization, non-profit most likely. an agency whose mission will include at least one of the following: seeing an end to poverty, homelessness, hunger; helping to create policies to redistribute the wealth; ending unnecessary suffering; conflict resolution and peacemaking. i can get jazzed up about any of these ideas. and something within me continues to say i am here to be a part of something to help heal our planet, ourselves, our world, starting with one person at a time. do i wait for this to happen? searching, thus far, has not brought me the desired results. i have shared my ideas with others, including many in my community. so far, no takers, just nods of encouragement and "good luck" smiles.
perhaps then i need to trust as i did with my spouse. i felt something would be happening. knew it. wanted it to the core of my being. got as clear as i could as to my intentions. then let it go, trusting it would return to me..........
shut up? sorry, i cannot do that.
i brought up several points for discussion, including the low wages, lack of benefits, employers who are more interested in skills (which can be taught) than they are in interest or personality, the ever-invasive use of drug testing (which is not reliable. some of the most dangerous and harmful drugs are out of the system within 72 hours) and the ever-elusive background check. no way will i agree to "whatever means necessary". tell me precisely what those means are and we can discuss it.
most shocking to me was being told the employment situation is not a two-way deal. wtf? what is it then? also surprising was being told i had no right to demand a thing of an employer.
baaa baaaaa baaaaa
in all seriousness, such responses are frightening and should scare the shit out of all prospective applicants. the forces-that-be have done their job in brainwashing a large lot of american slaves, er i mean workers.
the assumptions about me were equally amusing. it was assumed i was in my 20's. male. uneducated. and, weirdly enough, not capable of working as an independent contractor (who the hell knows how this assumption was comprised). i laughed as i said i was 40, female, college-educated and my current and previous position consisted of contract work.
anyway.............i am still apathetic to my employment situation. actually apathetic isn't the word. depressed doesn't even adaquately apply. how do i feel? hmmm. blank. maybe that word will suffice for now.
i am holding on to a grain of hope here. don't know if it's wishful, fantasy-like thinking or not. don't know if there is any chance this hope is based on any universal truth or principle. or possibility. but something in me has always known i need to work for myself. have my own organization. yes, i admit, i have a difficult time working for others, especially when there is a clash in values between myself and the boss. i once worked for an accounting firm. it was there that i learned there is indeed truth in stereotypes. cpa's, at least at this firm, are boring as hell and oh so uptight. i remember one of them told a joke and everyone but me was laughing hysterically. feigning a smile, i quietly walked away. although i do admit to feeling a sense of relief that they could actually laugh! it was the first time i had ever seen one such cpa smile! i also remember the time when one of the cpa's has given me his billing sheet. i noticed he had charged full price for helping his sister with her taxes. figuring this was an error, i brought it to his attention. gruffly he said "full price". i stood there by the side of his desk, hand on my heart. "but this is your sister. surely, you would at least consider offering her a discounted rate." the look he gave me made it clear he was indeed serious and i had better get my bleeding-heart ass out of his office.
back to this grain of hope. for some time now i have known there is a group of people i am "meant" to meet. this feeling, this knowing, won't go away. it's the same feeling i had when i was waiting for my husband to show up. i had absolutely no doubt he was out there looking for me. so i am very familiar with this feeling. these people i am meant to connect with......a group of like-minded folks. humanitarians. passionate, independent thinkers. maybe even those who feel a little like outcasts, perhaps some even having gone through similar experiences as have i. we are meant to meet and form an organization, non-profit most likely. an agency whose mission will include at least one of the following: seeing an end to poverty, homelessness, hunger; helping to create policies to redistribute the wealth; ending unnecessary suffering; conflict resolution and peacemaking. i can get jazzed up about any of these ideas. and something within me continues to say i am here to be a part of something to help heal our planet, ourselves, our world, starting with one person at a time. do i wait for this to happen? searching, thus far, has not brought me the desired results. i have shared my ideas with others, including many in my community. so far, no takers, just nods of encouragement and "good luck" smiles.
perhaps then i need to trust as i did with my spouse. i felt something would be happening. knew it. wanted it to the core of my being. got as clear as i could as to my intentions. then let it go, trusting it would return to me..........
12.07.2006
hey, see ya later employment world!
i am finished with the employment world. FINISHED. DONE. i am DONE applying for companies that want me to work a part-time job and where i must be ENSLAVED to these greedy motherfuckers every shift, all hours, every fucking day of the week. i am DONE applying for companies that want me to provide a million year background check, provide my urine and blood to make sure i haven't been smoking any crack (which at this point in the game IS STARTING TO BECOME A VIABLE OPTION in order to deal with the BULLSHIT GAMES OF TODAY'S EMPLOYMENT WORLD. long-term job search and u expect me to be sober???). i am FINISHED with the blood, sweat and tears of applying only to not hear back a god damn fucking thing--in other words, i am respectful of YOUR wishes and yet you aren't respecting mine. i am FINISHED with the insanely long list of skills and experience all for a whopping $8 per hour. woo hoo SIGN ME UP johnny!! i am FINISHED with posting a myriad of resumes on the career sites only to have my e-mail box fill up with nothing but SPAM. i am FINISHED with posting my resume on sites that provide jobs and careers that actually interest me only to have the same fucking results. i am FINISHED with visiting employment websites on a daily basis only to exit the site frustrated and disappointed. why? BECAUSE I CONTINUE TO SEE THE SAME FUCKING ADS I HAVE RESPONDED TO AND HAVEN'T HEARD A FUCKING WORD. i am finished with employment agencies and their bloody stupid endless list of tests and questions, only to be told "oh, we will be able to find you a job, no problem" and following that, only to be told by some perky gum-snapping bimbo upon calling in weekly "oh i am sorry we have nothing today please call back." i am DONE with networking and these STUPID lame-ass classes full of other desperate job seekers, taught by over-paid EMPLOYED lame brains who think this is an excellent place to network, failing to realize that as soon as word of an available job is spoken, especially a GOOD available job, people suddenly make a mad dash to leave. wake up instructors--people are DESPERATE. d e s p e r a t e. the pickings are slim. people do not come here to look for work and help others and socialize. they come for one reason alone: to FIND A JOB. PERIOD. i am DONE talking with others in the same/similar situation, trying to convince them we can put our minds together, come up with our own way of making an income, create our own business, only to realize i am talking to mindless sheep who are still convinced by and enslaved to the "work for another" mentality.
if society, if the working world still expects me to "work for a living" and "pay my own way", then fine. you bring me the fucking job because i am done knocking on doors, searching the web, filling out applications, submitting resumes and researching your stupid companies website. DONE. FINISHED. NO MORE. my mind and body have become chronically burned out, run down and sick as a result of this pathetic waste of time and energy i have put myself through. you want me bad enough? you can come to me. as a wise friend once told me, when i was searching for mr. right, "when the right one comes along, he will know it when he sees you and wild horses won't be able to keep him away from you". she was right. and i figure if this can apply for searching for the right man, it sure as hell can apply for my search for the right job.
so working world, i salute you with the big "FUCK OFF". put myself through one more second of frustration so i can maybe have tiny chance of being selected for an interview, but then only to be told later i am over-qualified or under-qualified? no thank you.
I AM DONE WITH THIS!
if society, if the working world still expects me to "work for a living" and "pay my own way", then fine. you bring me the fucking job because i am done knocking on doors, searching the web, filling out applications, submitting resumes and researching your stupid companies website. DONE. FINISHED. NO MORE. my mind and body have become chronically burned out, run down and sick as a result of this pathetic waste of time and energy i have put myself through. you want me bad enough? you can come to me. as a wise friend once told me, when i was searching for mr. right, "when the right one comes along, he will know it when he sees you and wild horses won't be able to keep him away from you". she was right. and i figure if this can apply for searching for the right man, it sure as hell can apply for my search for the right job.
so working world, i salute you with the big "FUCK OFF". put myself through one more second of frustration so i can maybe have tiny chance of being selected for an interview, but then only to be told later i am over-qualified or under-qualified? no thank you.
I AM DONE WITH THIS!
12.05.2006
speaking the truth of my heart--in other words sometimes a "fuck you" will suffice
i am notorious for wanting to say something, but instead i stop and think "that's not nice" or "that's not appropriate" and either shut up or say something contrary to what i had originally wanted to say. has this worked for me? uh, no.
i remember once while in a counseling session a couple of years ago saying "it would feel SO FREEING to just say it as it is. feel what i feel. say the first thing that comes to mind without stopping to censor myself." i went on to say "in fact, i would love to just say 'fuck off' to someone. just once--fuck off."
i have finally arrived at a place where i can't be a doormat anymore. not for anyone. not for family, friends or employers. i took a risk and told someone with whom i was doing work for, well no let me correct that--for someone with whom i was SUPPOSED to be doing work for but this someone couldn't get their act together and come up with a working plan for me--i took a risk, said what i needed, pointed out how they were not meeting this need, and said i can't do this anymore. i cannot work for people who do not meet these needs. felt so damn good. i hesitated because i am the type who doesn't like to let things go until i can see a replacement situation. and being this involves money and being i am not making nearly what i desire nor deserve, that created even more hesitation. but something in me said "do it. trust. speak your truth." and i did. and it felt oh so fucking awesome.
i still have the desire to say "you're a flake". why is that? i can speak respectfully and assertively but still have that part of me that wants to say "you're a flake. fuck off."
i have learned no one will come to my rescue and speak for me or defend me. well ok, either than my spouse. he'd go to bat for me in a heartbeat and at times i have to literally hold him back from going on the attack on my behalf. he's a big guy who wouldn't hesitate in kicking the shit out of anyone who harmed me, intentionally or not. while i love that about him, i know that wouldn't make me feel any better about myself. i have a voice. it's time i use it more effectively and assertively.
i have endlessly let people cut in front of me in line (although do that in traffic and i'll "fuck you" from the safety of my car). i have let people's children run into me without saying a word. i have let certain family members lie to me and say ugly things all while i take it in without a word. i have let employers dick me around with excuses while i do nothing but take a deep breath and pretend things are ok. i have let people promise me one thing and not deliver and not say a damn thing other than "oh that's ok." NO IT'S NOT. NONE OF IT IS OK WITH ME. ENOUGH.
there is conflict within me as to how to speak my mind. i have studied non-violent communication and while i love how you focus on your needs and how they are being unmet, there is no room to tell someone to "fuck off". that is considered an act of violence. but isn't it ok to be violent at times? i mean come on, don't some people at certain times have a big "fuck off" coming their way??? i have a big list of situations with certain individuals who are worthy of such an outburst from yours truly. i remember once as a teen, my parents were, in my teenage mind, being unreasonably unfair. after trying to communicate with them, realizing i was getting nowhere, i became so enraged with teenage angst that i blurted out "you two are FUCKED". emphasis intended. ooooh, how great that felt. however, that relief was immediately replaced with fear. terror, actually. i had never muttered that word before in their presence. visions of beatings and being thrown out onto the streets raced through my mind. however, my parents were too shocked to do or say anything. instead, after their eyes returned to the front of their sockets and their jaws returned to their appropriate setting, they simply acted as though that word had never been spoken.
i felt a boost of power that day. for indeed, sometimes in speaking one's truth, there is nothing more powerful, direct and eloquent as a good old-fashioned "fuck you" to make your point. i must remember that........
i remember once while in a counseling session a couple of years ago saying "it would feel SO FREEING to just say it as it is. feel what i feel. say the first thing that comes to mind without stopping to censor myself." i went on to say "in fact, i would love to just say 'fuck off' to someone. just once--fuck off."
i have finally arrived at a place where i can't be a doormat anymore. not for anyone. not for family, friends or employers. i took a risk and told someone with whom i was doing work for, well no let me correct that--for someone with whom i was SUPPOSED to be doing work for but this someone couldn't get their act together and come up with a working plan for me--i took a risk, said what i needed, pointed out how they were not meeting this need, and said i can't do this anymore. i cannot work for people who do not meet these needs. felt so damn good. i hesitated because i am the type who doesn't like to let things go until i can see a replacement situation. and being this involves money and being i am not making nearly what i desire nor deserve, that created even more hesitation. but something in me said "do it. trust. speak your truth." and i did. and it felt oh so fucking awesome.
i still have the desire to say "you're a flake". why is that? i can speak respectfully and assertively but still have that part of me that wants to say "you're a flake. fuck off."
i have learned no one will come to my rescue and speak for me or defend me. well ok, either than my spouse. he'd go to bat for me in a heartbeat and at times i have to literally hold him back from going on the attack on my behalf. he's a big guy who wouldn't hesitate in kicking the shit out of anyone who harmed me, intentionally or not. while i love that about him, i know that wouldn't make me feel any better about myself. i have a voice. it's time i use it more effectively and assertively.
i have endlessly let people cut in front of me in line (although do that in traffic and i'll "fuck you" from the safety of my car). i have let people's children run into me without saying a word. i have let certain family members lie to me and say ugly things all while i take it in without a word. i have let employers dick me around with excuses while i do nothing but take a deep breath and pretend things are ok. i have let people promise me one thing and not deliver and not say a damn thing other than "oh that's ok." NO IT'S NOT. NONE OF IT IS OK WITH ME. ENOUGH.
there is conflict within me as to how to speak my mind. i have studied non-violent communication and while i love how you focus on your needs and how they are being unmet, there is no room to tell someone to "fuck off". that is considered an act of violence. but isn't it ok to be violent at times? i mean come on, don't some people at certain times have a big "fuck off" coming their way??? i have a big list of situations with certain individuals who are worthy of such an outburst from yours truly. i remember once as a teen, my parents were, in my teenage mind, being unreasonably unfair. after trying to communicate with them, realizing i was getting nowhere, i became so enraged with teenage angst that i blurted out "you two are FUCKED". emphasis intended. ooooh, how great that felt. however, that relief was immediately replaced with fear. terror, actually. i had never muttered that word before in their presence. visions of beatings and being thrown out onto the streets raced through my mind. however, my parents were too shocked to do or say anything. instead, after their eyes returned to the front of their sockets and their jaws returned to their appropriate setting, they simply acted as though that word had never been spoken.
i felt a boost of power that day. for indeed, sometimes in speaking one's truth, there is nothing more powerful, direct and eloquent as a good old-fashioned "fuck you" to make your point. i must remember that........
12.04.2006
An Eye-Opening Quiz
how many planets are needed if everyone were to sustain your level of living? i rate a 1.6, which was a bit of shocker considering our house is small, i buy locally as much as i am able, we recycle and resuse a lot and we don't much many miles on our car (part of that is due to needing transmission work). i'd like to bring it down to 1. playing around with the quiz, i lowered it to 1.1 simply by moving to a different country...... check it out: www.myfootprint.org
defining "progressive"
i'm not sure what the term "progressive" means anymore. i used to think it meant those things that are counter to the status quo--over-consumption, greed, staggering cost of living, class system, etc. however, i am beginning to see where it really means "ok we wish to see change but only if i don't have to change my behavior." case in point. i saw a flyer for a house for rent. tiny 2 bedroom. the owners say they are progressive, into sustainability. their home is on a small lot with organic veggie beds and fruit trees. tiny house on tiny lot. all for only $850/month. they had me hopeful until i saw the price. what typical renter can afford that price? if they were truly progressive, they would make it affordable for everyone.
visiting a website that labels itself "progressive", i have seen similar behavior. i have read statements by people who call themselves progressive who have said: "well, you know, folks who have to declare bankruptcy usually have a character flaw that leads them to be in this situation to begin with." yep. even sadder is that few people challenged this outrageous and arrogant statement. (i kept reading, hoping the reader would point out the character flaws of our government and the elite that have both created and kept the class system going.) i have read statements by people who call themselves progressive that "health care costs need to be made more affordable." nothing about universal coverage for all. and i have read statements by people who call themselves progressive who support NAFTA and think the solution is "more education so that we produce more engineers, high-tech personnel and doctors and less lawyers and social workers". unbelievable. and utterly naive.
i am sickened by people who drive suv's and slap bumperstickers on their car with sayings such as: "proud to be democrat" or "kerry/edwards" or "live simply". go on home to your big home in the subarbs, look through your stock portfolio and fall asleep watching your big screen tv with satellite dish. when you fully wake up and examine your own excessive consumption and realize how that is harming the planet and making it so millions of others are unable to create a safe, sustainable existance, THEN you can share your ideals with the world.
it's time to define what progressive means. i think i can come up with some ideas that fall under the term "progressive". health care for all. affordable housing for all (and housing that is practical--unless you have 9 children, which hopefully at least 6 have been adopted, no one needs a 3,000 plus square foot home). employment that provides a living wage, vacation, sick leave and retirement for all. clean air to breathe. healthy, abundant food that is free from pesticides and hormones. a safe environment. clean, running water. an elimination of the class system. redistribute the wealth. people first, profits second. living in a way that doesn't take away the right of another to live in the same manner, or put another way: live in balance with the earth and with your neighbors.
visiting a website that labels itself "progressive", i have seen similar behavior. i have read statements by people who call themselves progressive who have said: "well, you know, folks who have to declare bankruptcy usually have a character flaw that leads them to be in this situation to begin with." yep. even sadder is that few people challenged this outrageous and arrogant statement. (i kept reading, hoping the reader would point out the character flaws of our government and the elite that have both created and kept the class system going.) i have read statements by people who call themselves progressive that "health care costs need to be made more affordable." nothing about universal coverage for all. and i have read statements by people who call themselves progressive who support NAFTA and think the solution is "more education so that we produce more engineers, high-tech personnel and doctors and less lawyers and social workers". unbelievable. and utterly naive.
i am sickened by people who drive suv's and slap bumperstickers on their car with sayings such as: "proud to be democrat" or "kerry/edwards" or "live simply". go on home to your big home in the subarbs, look through your stock portfolio and fall asleep watching your big screen tv with satellite dish. when you fully wake up and examine your own excessive consumption and realize how that is harming the planet and making it so millions of others are unable to create a safe, sustainable existance, THEN you can share your ideals with the world.
it's time to define what progressive means. i think i can come up with some ideas that fall under the term "progressive". health care for all. affordable housing for all (and housing that is practical--unless you have 9 children, which hopefully at least 6 have been adopted, no one needs a 3,000 plus square foot home). employment that provides a living wage, vacation, sick leave and retirement for all. clean air to breathe. healthy, abundant food that is free from pesticides and hormones. a safe environment. clean, running water. an elimination of the class system. redistribute the wealth. people first, profits second. living in a way that doesn't take away the right of another to live in the same manner, or put another way: live in balance with the earth and with your neighbors.
12.01.2006
Excuse Me. I'm Not a Christian. Please Bring Me the Koran.
newly elected democratic keith ellison is refusing to pledge his oath of office by swearing on the bible. instead, being he's muslim, he wishes to use the koran. makes sense to me. but of course, being this is, according to the wacko's, a "christian nation", there are uproars from some religious folks.
i'm an american. i remember hearing we are all free to worship (or not) any god, statue or food item of our choice. i could care less what book a member of congress chooses to put their hands upon when taking the oath of office. i care about the person's character and how well they will serve their constituents. they could put their hand on "my pet goat" for all i care. (perhaps bush would have been better served by swearing on this book instead of the bible.) and lest we all forget: placing their hands upon this described holy book has not kept our representatives from lying and stealing and cheating you and i.
maybe we need to pick a new book altogether. scrap the religious books. people are very protective and thus passionately intense about their religious beliefs, so much so it can cloud their eyes to other ways of viewing the cosmos and the world. america is expanding. people of different color, ethnicity and religions are entering the polical arena. using a generic book, one free of religious connotations, may be a good idea. as such, i would like to present my list of ideas. please feel free to add your own.........
1) oh the places you will go, by dr. seuss. a beautifully written, simple book about encouragement and the ups and down of life. a good book to remind our elected officials that we are all in this life together.
2) all i really needed to know i learned in kindergarten, by robert fulghum. another simple book with a grand focus on respect, sharing and listening, values oh so needed in our government.
3) who's the boss, by nina and the rest of america. an excellent guidebook that reminds our government that we the people have the power to hire and fire them, we pay their salaries and their benefits and therefore, they work for us.
i'm an american. i remember hearing we are all free to worship (or not) any god, statue or food item of our choice. i could care less what book a member of congress chooses to put their hands upon when taking the oath of office. i care about the person's character and how well they will serve their constituents. they could put their hand on "my pet goat" for all i care. (perhaps bush would have been better served by swearing on this book instead of the bible.) and lest we all forget: placing their hands upon this described holy book has not kept our representatives from lying and stealing and cheating you and i.
maybe we need to pick a new book altogether. scrap the religious books. people are very protective and thus passionately intense about their religious beliefs, so much so it can cloud their eyes to other ways of viewing the cosmos and the world. america is expanding. people of different color, ethnicity and religions are entering the polical arena. using a generic book, one free of religious connotations, may be a good idea. as such, i would like to present my list of ideas. please feel free to add your own.........
1) oh the places you will go, by dr. seuss. a beautifully written, simple book about encouragement and the ups and down of life. a good book to remind our elected officials that we are all in this life together.
2) all i really needed to know i learned in kindergarten, by robert fulghum. another simple book with a grand focus on respect, sharing and listening, values oh so needed in our government.
3) who's the boss, by nina and the rest of america. an excellent guidebook that reminds our government that we the people have the power to hire and fire them, we pay their salaries and their benefits and therefore, they work for us.
following the in's and out's of my blog readers
i have one of those counter's that allow me to see who has viewed my blog, their location, how long they visited (which isn't very long--perhaps i need to spice things up a bit), their referring page and their out page. some of these in and out pages have been quite interesting.
take for instance a recent viewer. this person's referring page was a site containing nude photos of a young woman. (how the hell this person went from this woman's page to mine, i haven't a clue. you certainly won't find nudie pics on this blog nor do i search for nudie pics myself. and even if i did, i would most definitely be searching for nudie shots of males.) this person's outpage? some christian religious nutcase. ah, the mind of the human being.........can go from looking at pornographic material to reading about the messages of jesus......
hey, i wonder if mark foley was reading my blog.........
this isn't my only viewer who has either entered or exited my blog via a porno site. one viewer entered via a political blog where i had left a comment. this same viewer stuck around for around 10 seconds before heading off for a porno site, likely disappointed i didn't have anything but words to offer.
i've had a few readers from d.c. if perhaps some are homeland security employees "just poking around" they were likely disappointed. i removed all potentially incriminating posts months ago. but just in case they are making an occasional visit, here's a carrot to dangle in front of their eyes: george bush is a giant poopiehead
take for instance a recent viewer. this person's referring page was a site containing nude photos of a young woman. (how the hell this person went from this woman's page to mine, i haven't a clue. you certainly won't find nudie pics on this blog nor do i search for nudie pics myself. and even if i did, i would most definitely be searching for nudie shots of males.) this person's outpage? some christian religious nutcase. ah, the mind of the human being.........can go from looking at pornographic material to reading about the messages of jesus......
hey, i wonder if mark foley was reading my blog.........
this isn't my only viewer who has either entered or exited my blog via a porno site. one viewer entered via a political blog where i had left a comment. this same viewer stuck around for around 10 seconds before heading off for a porno site, likely disappointed i didn't have anything but words to offer.
i've had a few readers from d.c. if perhaps some are homeland security employees "just poking around" they were likely disappointed. i removed all potentially incriminating posts months ago. but just in case they are making an occasional visit, here's a carrot to dangle in front of their eyes: george bush is a giant poopiehead
11.29.2006
Consuming In America
i read something last week that has been weighing heavy on my mind and heart. it was an answer to a question i had been seeking for a few months. i have been wondering about consumption, wondering if everyone on the planet lived like the elite, could the planet sustain this level of consumption/living? of course i knew the answer to that one, but i wanted to see proof. and i got it. according to a report called "Footprints of the Planet" (no date--read it in the Health and Social Justice textbook I am reading for work), if every nation consumed at the same rate as we do here in the States, we would need, get this, FOUR ADDITIONAL PLANETS to sustain this level of consumption. Four Additional Planets.
and here i have been saying "i need more, i need more". perhaps the truth isn't that i need more. perhaps the truth is those who have the most actually need LESS. a lot less.
i am a strong believer in fairness. to my core, i support the idea of sharing the wealth. i deplore the class system. i deplore the idea of anyone owning big homes (unless they have a big family and have adopted most of their children). i deplore the idea of anyone owning more than one home (unless they allow homeless persons to live in them when not in use). i deplore the idea of anyone owning large SUV's and more than 1 car per adult.
if the planet could sustain this for everyone, i'd have no issue with it. but being we have populated this planet so heavily, it is time for those WITH EXCESS to relinquish some of that load. equal the playing field. every one of us is worthy of and deserving of every item of luxury that life has to offer. however, because this is not feasible for ALL of us to enjoy, then none of us need to live such a life. it isn't right. it certainly isn't fair. or just.
i used to believe in the words of the new thought movement, in the words of oprah and others of her financial status. "we don't know what the purpose is for others. perhaps the poor people chose to come here and live as a poor person to teach us compassion." utter rubbish. bullocks. bullshit. this is nothing more than a convenient justification told in order to justify THEIR wealth which enables them to turn their minds and their hearts away from reality. that reality being there are policies created that KEEP the class system in place, that create it to begin with. that reality being that not everyone has the support system, the skills, the talents, the energy to pursue work that pays a high income. that reality that not everyone can possibly live their standard. speaking from a plantery/resource level, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE.
do i think those "with" will voluntarily decide one day to give back some of that wealth? likely not in my lifetime. massive consumption just continues to grow. people want more. it's an obsession. an addiction. technology keeps spitting out new gadgets and americans want to keep up. our homes are bigger. we eat more food. we own more cars. my god WHEN WILL THIS INSANITY END??? when will folks wake up and see that THEIR CHOICES are EFFECTING OTHERS? when will folks wake up and see that THEIR CHOICES are DESTROYING OUR PLANET?? it isn't just co2 and other toxic substances that are hurting our planet. it's our over-consumption that's also causing harm.
imagine if you knew that your way of living was ensuring that other folks go without?
if this woman living in poverty (poverty according to the standards as set forth in the U.S.) can ask herself this question and do some serious soul-searching, then so can you.
and here i have been saying "i need more, i need more". perhaps the truth isn't that i need more. perhaps the truth is those who have the most actually need LESS. a lot less.
i am a strong believer in fairness. to my core, i support the idea of sharing the wealth. i deplore the class system. i deplore the idea of anyone owning big homes (unless they have a big family and have adopted most of their children). i deplore the idea of anyone owning more than one home (unless they allow homeless persons to live in them when not in use). i deplore the idea of anyone owning large SUV's and more than 1 car per adult.
if the planet could sustain this for everyone, i'd have no issue with it. but being we have populated this planet so heavily, it is time for those WITH EXCESS to relinquish some of that load. equal the playing field. every one of us is worthy of and deserving of every item of luxury that life has to offer. however, because this is not feasible for ALL of us to enjoy, then none of us need to live such a life. it isn't right. it certainly isn't fair. or just.
i used to believe in the words of the new thought movement, in the words of oprah and others of her financial status. "we don't know what the purpose is for others. perhaps the poor people chose to come here and live as a poor person to teach us compassion." utter rubbish. bullocks. bullshit. this is nothing more than a convenient justification told in order to justify THEIR wealth which enables them to turn their minds and their hearts away from reality. that reality being there are policies created that KEEP the class system in place, that create it to begin with. that reality being that not everyone has the support system, the skills, the talents, the energy to pursue work that pays a high income. that reality that not everyone can possibly live their standard. speaking from a plantery/resource level, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE.
do i think those "with" will voluntarily decide one day to give back some of that wealth? likely not in my lifetime. massive consumption just continues to grow. people want more. it's an obsession. an addiction. technology keeps spitting out new gadgets and americans want to keep up. our homes are bigger. we eat more food. we own more cars. my god WHEN WILL THIS INSANITY END??? when will folks wake up and see that THEIR CHOICES are EFFECTING OTHERS? when will folks wake up and see that THEIR CHOICES are DESTROYING OUR PLANET?? it isn't just co2 and other toxic substances that are hurting our planet. it's our over-consumption that's also causing harm.
imagine if you knew that your way of living was ensuring that other folks go without?
if this woman living in poverty (poverty according to the standards as set forth in the U.S.) can ask herself this question and do some serious soul-searching, then so can you.
11.25.2006
Saturday Thoughts
our town has an annual tradition of holding a parade the friday after thanksgiving. this year it was postponed. why? because of a football game. we had our annual civil war game yesterday--a game filled with dangerous, unnecessary competition held in a stadium full of drunk, littering suv-driving folks of all ages. dollars that could be better spent helping rather than harming the body and planet. a friend of mine watched the game yesterday and called me afterwards to tell me who won. i was immediately on my soapbox, preaching about the perils of competitive sports and the waste of resources. she couldn't disagree, but she still loves a good football game. i've always always always been a terrible fan (back in the days when i watched certain teams regularly). i'd be so estatic when my team won, but then i'd always feel sad for the losers. then i'd go into this spiral of guilt that eventually lead to introspection. i came away with the idea that all sports should be played like t-ball: for fun. no scores are kept. no winners or losers. just people playing a game they love and having a good time.
my hub is correct. the university rules this town. explains why (some of) the local police are so damn lax with the behaviors of college kids. the excuses out of these officers mouths has really pissed me the farm fuck off at times. "look, they're college kids. this is what they do. if they're keeping you up, just move." "i know their music is loud, but this isn't an issue for the police. you need to call the landlord." "aren't you being a little picky?" then there was my favorite: "i don't hear a thing."
hub and i took the chance last night and ventured out to rent some movies. we were surprised at how quiet it was--not much traffic. the party-animals had likely already left town, or as my spouse said, were "passed out early" being they began drinking at 10am. we decided to rent al gore's an inconvenient truth. excellent film. very well done. you get the feeling that gore is truly living his passion, his destiny. this is what he is meant to be doing right now and it is that sincerity, backed up with the inarguable scientific facts, that should convince every last bit of the doubters out there. the scene that most moved me was the animated picture of the polar bear swimming and swimming in search of ice. so many have drowned because of the melting glaciers (what wasn't touched on was the bears who are dying of starvation because of the changing food chain). that image is now burned in my mind and i can only hope it remains there and reminds me when i am being wasteful with my energy use.
the only thing i wish he had gone into a bit more detail was the idea of greed and over-consumption. i wish he had spoken about the unequal distribution of wealth and resources. the "keep up with the joneses" mentality is killing our planet. balance is desperately needed. of course, one could make an entire documentary about this topic alone. it's just something i am intensely passionate about, so i was hoping to see more discussion. anyway, this is going to be a film to add to our permanent collection.
anyone interested in learning more, check out www.climatecrisis.net. being i'm a songwriter, i have to mention melissa ethridge's song she wrote and contributed to the movie, "wake up now" (i believe that's the title). very moving, very powerful song. the video is a special feature on the dvd.
so many things in which we need to "wake up NOW"....................
my hub is correct. the university rules this town. explains why (some of) the local police are so damn lax with the behaviors of college kids. the excuses out of these officers mouths has really pissed me the farm fuck off at times. "look, they're college kids. this is what they do. if they're keeping you up, just move." "i know their music is loud, but this isn't an issue for the police. you need to call the landlord." "aren't you being a little picky?" then there was my favorite: "i don't hear a thing."
hub and i took the chance last night and ventured out to rent some movies. we were surprised at how quiet it was--not much traffic. the party-animals had likely already left town, or as my spouse said, were "passed out early" being they began drinking at 10am. we decided to rent al gore's an inconvenient truth. excellent film. very well done. you get the feeling that gore is truly living his passion, his destiny. this is what he is meant to be doing right now and it is that sincerity, backed up with the inarguable scientific facts, that should convince every last bit of the doubters out there. the scene that most moved me was the animated picture of the polar bear swimming and swimming in search of ice. so many have drowned because of the melting glaciers (what wasn't touched on was the bears who are dying of starvation because of the changing food chain). that image is now burned in my mind and i can only hope it remains there and reminds me when i am being wasteful with my energy use.
the only thing i wish he had gone into a bit more detail was the idea of greed and over-consumption. i wish he had spoken about the unequal distribution of wealth and resources. the "keep up with the joneses" mentality is killing our planet. balance is desperately needed. of course, one could make an entire documentary about this topic alone. it's just something i am intensely passionate about, so i was hoping to see more discussion. anyway, this is going to be a film to add to our permanent collection.
anyone interested in learning more, check out www.climatecrisis.net. being i'm a songwriter, i have to mention melissa ethridge's song she wrote and contributed to the movie, "wake up now" (i believe that's the title). very moving, very powerful song. the video is a special feature on the dvd.
so many things in which we need to "wake up NOW"....................
11.24.2006
am i the only one who thinks about things like this on a regular basis???
i was inside enjoying a peaceful, quiet shower when i heard a loud rumbling outside. at first i thought it was the garbage pick-up, then realized it was too loud for that. it sounded like a plane, so i jump out of the shower, throw on a robe and run outside. yep, it was a plane allright. fighter plane. all in honor of the civil war football game event going on today. as the pilot flew overhead, i sent him a mental image of homeless kids and adults, hoping he would see some of these poor souls on his journey to our gluttunous, greedy university.
i should make it clear that in and of itself, i am not against such acts of excess. but i most certainly am when the thousands of dollars spent for a few moments of entertainment could be so much better used elsewhere. my god when will we get our act together and put our dollars into FIXING what needs FIXING first and THEN engaging in fun moments of excess. our university was paid a huge sum of money by a major television affiliate all over a stupid football game. a sporting event that isn't going to do a damn thing to really help those in need. part of that money went towards paying for these fighter planes to fly overhead. (i'd like to add a little caveat. this sporting event DID help line the pockets of my spouses employer. he saw over 6k in the first 3 hours of business. if he appreciated and embraced the concept of sharing the wealth, which is what decent people and employers do, he would spread a little of that joy around to those who, you know, actually DO the work. but he's a capitalist pig, so he's going to smile his fucking ass all the way to the bank.)
as i have said, i'm an employee of this university. i make a little over $8/hour. the coach of these football players makes about $800/minute. talk about income G A P.
apparently my services, which benefit those with disabilities, isn't as valued as some fucking football coach, who would really do some good if they were to teach their players to speak proper english. these players look like idiots when interviewed on television. uh uh uh you know, weez justs gotta execute.
ok, getting off on a tangent here...............i have for so long wondered why there is such a homeless problem in my community and why there is so much poverty here. this is a filthy rich town--lots of money--lots of old money. and yet even though some of these folks do volunteer their time and give some of their money away, there is no fucking way they're willing to do more--give more of that money--give up more of their resources and share them in such a way that will equal the playing field--you know, actually create a REAL community, not a community of have's and have not's. i mean come on, what kind of a community is that? community is inclusive, not exclusive........ i have formed one question that i wish to see everyone ask themselves: is the lifestyle i am living capable of being supported by the planet if everyone were to live the same lifestyle?
if the answer is "likely not" or "most definitely not", then you are contributing to the problem of poverty, which is an (unnecessary) social condition produced by capitalism and a value system which values money over the well being of others. change your mind, change your heart, change your behavior. in doing so, we can have a world where military planes fly overhead not only for corporate-sponsored sporting events or exclusive elitist parties but for us ALL. because god damnit, me and everyone in my same or similar situation are equally as worthy and deserving of such things as are those with the money to pay for it.
i should make it clear that in and of itself, i am not against such acts of excess. but i most certainly am when the thousands of dollars spent for a few moments of entertainment could be so much better used elsewhere. my god when will we get our act together and put our dollars into FIXING what needs FIXING first and THEN engaging in fun moments of excess. our university was paid a huge sum of money by a major television affiliate all over a stupid football game. a sporting event that isn't going to do a damn thing to really help those in need. part of that money went towards paying for these fighter planes to fly overhead. (i'd like to add a little caveat. this sporting event DID help line the pockets of my spouses employer. he saw over 6k in the first 3 hours of business. if he appreciated and embraced the concept of sharing the wealth, which is what decent people and employers do, he would spread a little of that joy around to those who, you know, actually DO the work. but he's a capitalist pig, so he's going to smile his fucking ass all the way to the bank.)
as i have said, i'm an employee of this university. i make a little over $8/hour. the coach of these football players makes about $800/minute. talk about income G A P.
apparently my services, which benefit those with disabilities, isn't as valued as some fucking football coach, who would really do some good if they were to teach their players to speak proper english. these players look like idiots when interviewed on television. uh uh uh you know, weez justs gotta execute.
ok, getting off on a tangent here...............i have for so long wondered why there is such a homeless problem in my community and why there is so much poverty here. this is a filthy rich town--lots of money--lots of old money. and yet even though some of these folks do volunteer their time and give some of their money away, there is no fucking way they're willing to do more--give more of that money--give up more of their resources and share them in such a way that will equal the playing field--you know, actually create a REAL community, not a community of have's and have not's. i mean come on, what kind of a community is that? community is inclusive, not exclusive........ i have formed one question that i wish to see everyone ask themselves: is the lifestyle i am living capable of being supported by the planet if everyone were to live the same lifestyle?
if the answer is "likely not" or "most definitely not", then you are contributing to the problem of poverty, which is an (unnecessary) social condition produced by capitalism and a value system which values money over the well being of others. change your mind, change your heart, change your behavior. in doing so, we can have a world where military planes fly overhead not only for corporate-sponsored sporting events or exclusive elitist parties but for us ALL. because god damnit, me and everyone in my same or similar situation are equally as worthy and deserving of such things as are those with the money to pay for it.
stuffed with turkey and some sadness
my sweet and i had a quiet holiday...........napped.......watched a movie........had some good conversation.........cooked up a storm and ate more than we needed to, although our little pooch had no complaints in this regard..........being we feed her a primarily fresh food diet, she loved the turkey and veggies and gravy.......i even let her have a tiny bite of pumpkin pie...all three of us were crashed on the couch by 8pm........there was even some snoring.
there was some sadness this year, as there often is for the two of us. neither of us are that close with our families, the past few years having brought this to our full attention. the sadness this year though was a bit different. it was tinged with a bit of acceptance. a forlorn acceptance, this inner knowing of "that's just the way things are", but still an inner hope and wish for something different, something better. something more. no one in my spouses family called. my mother did call, though, something i had already expected. phone calls with her are often of the mixed-emotion kind. there's that longing for something different mixed in with the knowledge that i will never have the connection i want or need from her.
we could have invited any number of them down, but we no longer do that. it gets old asking your family to please come visit, only to hear "yes we must do that" over and over again, the words being just that: words. without action. it's painful.
i had been hoping to speak with my brother. he was going to be staying at my mother's place thanksgiving evening and she had said she could call when he was there. i said i'd like that. i have been trying to get to know my brother for years. after making numerous visits to his home, after opening up to him about who i am, what i think and feel, what i want for my life....you know what i speak of......those things you say to those with whom you wish to develop a real relationship........after i took those risks and was met with so much judgement from him, after being told to shut up, after being told my opinions were bullshit, my feelings were crap and that statement he made in which i will never forget: "i disagree with almost everything that comes out of your mouth" (which at the time i remember thinking, how can you say that when you hardly know me??).......after speaking with him about all of this and saying "you don't even know me"..........after him listening and agreeing........after hearing him make promise after promise of offers to come visit us......to call more........to listen to me without judgement.........after all of this went nowhere, i let it go. fuck it, i thought. i don't need this from anyone, i don't care if he is "family". if he really is that interested in knowing me, he can take the next step. i made the last phone call 10 months ago. i haven't heard a word from him since--the longest we've gone without speaking.
so i was hoping when my mother called, my brother would be there and would want to speak with me. i was surprised when, at not quite 5pm, the phone rang. it was my mother. i told her i thought she was going to later in the evening when my brother was to be there. she said he had gone out to a movie. rather than question it, i just let it go. if i were to question it and show any sort of thoughts surrounded with any sort of emotion, i would be hushed in some way. my family's funny weird strange in this regard. have an emotion??? why that's a sin! they're so robotic at times, it can be quite uncomfortable to be around. i can remember funerals where no one showed their sadness. everyone walked around very stiff and formal. i thought this was normal until i went to my friend's sister's funeral in college. the tears were flowing. grief was everywhere. as sad as this was of course, in a way it was so refreshing to me. PEOPLE IN FAMILIES ACTUALLY CRY TOGETHER!! wow.........
my dad, who i also didn't hear from, is not like this though. when dad's angry, you know it. when he's sad, you know it. this is likely where i get my ability to show my emotions, although i still have the energy/influence from my mother's side of the family to keep it all inside and put on a smile instead.
my dad is another family member with whom i kind of tossed the towel in this year as well. his retirement activities are his priority. i guess if i had had a good relationship with him growing up, i would be more supportive of this, more understanding, but being his needs always came first while growing up, it just adds fuel to the fire. he has also made numerous promises to visit, each one never seeing a follow-through. one such visit he simply never showed. a few weeks ago i tried speaking with him about this, saying how much i would love to visit with him. oh but i am so busy each day playing golf, he said. well what about on sunday, i asked. oh that's rest day, he said. ok well maybe you can skip saturday golf to come spend the day with me, i asked. he gave a "eeehhhh"--one of those points of hesitation, which to me was a "ok i know i COULD but i really don't want to and i know you're my daughter and i shouldn't want to say no but that's what i really think so instead i'll just say eeeehhh".
dad's another family member in which i had made numerous trips to visit. our last visit happened because my spouse and i went to visit him. part of me says if this is the only way you can see them, you'll just have to make the effort.
and yet, what's the point? why would i want to invest any energy into a relationship that is not being created by both parties? family or not, it isn't ok with me. and given our one vehicle needs transmission work, we're certainly not comfortable driving it out of our area. the family knows this, too.
that kind of makes me laugh. when we first discovered our transmission issue, at first it felt like a huge burden. when you're low income, coming up with over $1,000 feels like a very big mountain to climb. when we have been able to save that kind of money, a medical expense or other more important expense comes along. now i see though that this car problem has opened up my eyes. for you see, when we first learned of the problem, i thought "ok well now our families will have to come to us until we fix this situation." i had hopeful visions of family visits at our place. maybe even a holiday or two.
reality can be a bitter pill to swallow..........
nonetheless, as i said, this year's holiday sadness was a bit different. there was more acceptance. maybe resignation. perhaps a bit of the two. and because of this, i was able to focus more on the family that was right there in front of me: a wonderful husband and the sweetest, cutest puppy dog on the planet.
there was some sadness this year, as there often is for the two of us. neither of us are that close with our families, the past few years having brought this to our full attention. the sadness this year though was a bit different. it was tinged with a bit of acceptance. a forlorn acceptance, this inner knowing of "that's just the way things are", but still an inner hope and wish for something different, something better. something more. no one in my spouses family called. my mother did call, though, something i had already expected. phone calls with her are often of the mixed-emotion kind. there's that longing for something different mixed in with the knowledge that i will never have the connection i want or need from her.
we could have invited any number of them down, but we no longer do that. it gets old asking your family to please come visit, only to hear "yes we must do that" over and over again, the words being just that: words. without action. it's painful.
i had been hoping to speak with my brother. he was going to be staying at my mother's place thanksgiving evening and she had said she could call when he was there. i said i'd like that. i have been trying to get to know my brother for years. after making numerous visits to his home, after opening up to him about who i am, what i think and feel, what i want for my life....you know what i speak of......those things you say to those with whom you wish to develop a real relationship........after i took those risks and was met with so much judgement from him, after being told to shut up, after being told my opinions were bullshit, my feelings were crap and that statement he made in which i will never forget: "i disagree with almost everything that comes out of your mouth" (which at the time i remember thinking, how can you say that when you hardly know me??).......after speaking with him about all of this and saying "you don't even know me"..........after him listening and agreeing........after hearing him make promise after promise of offers to come visit us......to call more........to listen to me without judgement.........after all of this went nowhere, i let it go. fuck it, i thought. i don't need this from anyone, i don't care if he is "family". if he really is that interested in knowing me, he can take the next step. i made the last phone call 10 months ago. i haven't heard a word from him since--the longest we've gone without speaking.
so i was hoping when my mother called, my brother would be there and would want to speak with me. i was surprised when, at not quite 5pm, the phone rang. it was my mother. i told her i thought she was going to later in the evening when my brother was to be there. she said he had gone out to a movie. rather than question it, i just let it go. if i were to question it and show any sort of thoughts surrounded with any sort of emotion, i would be hushed in some way. my family's funny weird strange in this regard. have an emotion??? why that's a sin! they're so robotic at times, it can be quite uncomfortable to be around. i can remember funerals where no one showed their sadness. everyone walked around very stiff and formal. i thought this was normal until i went to my friend's sister's funeral in college. the tears were flowing. grief was everywhere. as sad as this was of course, in a way it was so refreshing to me. PEOPLE IN FAMILIES ACTUALLY CRY TOGETHER!! wow.........
my dad, who i also didn't hear from, is not like this though. when dad's angry, you know it. when he's sad, you know it. this is likely where i get my ability to show my emotions, although i still have the energy/influence from my mother's side of the family to keep it all inside and put on a smile instead.
my dad is another family member with whom i kind of tossed the towel in this year as well. his retirement activities are his priority. i guess if i had had a good relationship with him growing up, i would be more supportive of this, more understanding, but being his needs always came first while growing up, it just adds fuel to the fire. he has also made numerous promises to visit, each one never seeing a follow-through. one such visit he simply never showed. a few weeks ago i tried speaking with him about this, saying how much i would love to visit with him. oh but i am so busy each day playing golf, he said. well what about on sunday, i asked. oh that's rest day, he said. ok well maybe you can skip saturday golf to come spend the day with me, i asked. he gave a "eeehhhh"--one of those points of hesitation, which to me was a "ok i know i COULD but i really don't want to and i know you're my daughter and i shouldn't want to say no but that's what i really think so instead i'll just say eeeehhh".
dad's another family member in which i had made numerous trips to visit. our last visit happened because my spouse and i went to visit him. part of me says if this is the only way you can see them, you'll just have to make the effort.
and yet, what's the point? why would i want to invest any energy into a relationship that is not being created by both parties? family or not, it isn't ok with me. and given our one vehicle needs transmission work, we're certainly not comfortable driving it out of our area. the family knows this, too.
that kind of makes me laugh. when we first discovered our transmission issue, at first it felt like a huge burden. when you're low income, coming up with over $1,000 feels like a very big mountain to climb. when we have been able to save that kind of money, a medical expense or other more important expense comes along. now i see though that this car problem has opened up my eyes. for you see, when we first learned of the problem, i thought "ok well now our families will have to come to us until we fix this situation." i had hopeful visions of family visits at our place. maybe even a holiday or two.
reality can be a bitter pill to swallow..........
nonetheless, as i said, this year's holiday sadness was a bit different. there was more acceptance. maybe resignation. perhaps a bit of the two. and because of this, i was able to focus more on the family that was right there in front of me: a wonderful husband and the sweetest, cutest puppy dog on the planet.
11.20.2006
hypocrisy
i was watching some man on the tube speak about wealth. he said he has never understood those who write about poverty and how to resolve poverty continue to speak about the problems of poverty long after they've achieved millions selling their books. ok, so this catches my attention considering i completely fucking agree. but as i continue to observe him, i notice the huge rings on his fingers. the diamonds. the jewels. his suit, obviously a designer suit. his face, nicely tanned. his silver hair, very well cut and styled.
the guy's swimming in wealth himself.
fucking hypocrite. "i'm going to insult those who are doing the same thing as am i."
he went on to talk about how we are to share the wealth. how we are to shine our light without blinding others. uh oh, i thought, the guy's going religious on me.
the camera then points to the interviewer--pat fucking robertson. that ugly slimy smile he wears. how anyone can look at that man for more than a moment and not KNOW he's the epitomy of evil and greed and lies is beyond my scope of comprehension.
i immediately turned the tv off. saged the room. saged myself. saged the dog. (wasn't going to take any chances.)
i don't understand why one person has yet to ask these gluttunous bastards (and bitches) who speak out against poverty "do you think the planet could sustain it if we ALL lived YOUR lifestyle?" i love the lines from forrest gump about wealth. "mama always said there's only so much money a person needs. most of it's just for showing off. use what you need then give away the rest." love it love it love it
i also don't understand why these folks don't talk about sharing the wealth. and i don't understand why they don't point out the studies that show that those countries who have more equitable wealth distribution have citizens who are healthier and happier. it's simply common sense. fucking common sense.
it's so easy to focus on africa. so very easy. it's so very easy for these rich stars to point to africa and say "we must help them!" duh! no brainer! the conditions throughout africa are, of course, horrendous. the ONE campaign regularly (conveniently??) interchanges the words "poverty" and "extreme poverty". one day they're out to erradicate extreme poverty. the next day, they want to eliminate poverty. oprah gives away 10% of her income. angelina jolie, 30%. they're worshipped because of it. why? if i were a multi-millionaire or a billionaire, my god, it would be soooooooo easy to give away up to 30% of my income. i don't need 5 homes. i don't need private chauffeurs and cooks and nanny's and gardeners and housecleaners. i don't need my own private jets and helicopters. and guess what? NO ONE DOES.
we ALL need a nice home. we ALL need an income/wage that pays nothing less than a living wage. we ALL need running water and heat and cooling. we ALL need healthy, fresh, abundant food. we ALL need clean clothing. we ALL need access to health care. we ALL need to breath clean air. and until these rich idiots begin talking about REDISTRIBUTING THE WEALTH, they are doing nothing more than putting band-aids on a lesion that will continue to ooze.
the guy's swimming in wealth himself.
fucking hypocrite. "i'm going to insult those who are doing the same thing as am i."
he went on to talk about how we are to share the wealth. how we are to shine our light without blinding others. uh oh, i thought, the guy's going religious on me.
the camera then points to the interviewer--pat fucking robertson. that ugly slimy smile he wears. how anyone can look at that man for more than a moment and not KNOW he's the epitomy of evil and greed and lies is beyond my scope of comprehension.
i immediately turned the tv off. saged the room. saged myself. saged the dog. (wasn't going to take any chances.)
i don't understand why one person has yet to ask these gluttunous bastards (and bitches) who speak out against poverty "do you think the planet could sustain it if we ALL lived YOUR lifestyle?" i love the lines from forrest gump about wealth. "mama always said there's only so much money a person needs. most of it's just for showing off. use what you need then give away the rest." love it love it love it
i also don't understand why these folks don't talk about sharing the wealth. and i don't understand why they don't point out the studies that show that those countries who have more equitable wealth distribution have citizens who are healthier and happier. it's simply common sense. fucking common sense.
it's so easy to focus on africa. so very easy. it's so very easy for these rich stars to point to africa and say "we must help them!" duh! no brainer! the conditions throughout africa are, of course, horrendous. the ONE campaign regularly (conveniently??) interchanges the words "poverty" and "extreme poverty". one day they're out to erradicate extreme poverty. the next day, they want to eliminate poverty. oprah gives away 10% of her income. angelina jolie, 30%. they're worshipped because of it. why? if i were a multi-millionaire or a billionaire, my god, it would be soooooooo easy to give away up to 30% of my income. i don't need 5 homes. i don't need private chauffeurs and cooks and nanny's and gardeners and housecleaners. i don't need my own private jets and helicopters. and guess what? NO ONE DOES.
we ALL need a nice home. we ALL need an income/wage that pays nothing less than a living wage. we ALL need running water and heat and cooling. we ALL need healthy, fresh, abundant food. we ALL need clean clothing. we ALL need access to health care. we ALL need to breath clean air. and until these rich idiots begin talking about REDISTRIBUTING THE WEALTH, they are doing nothing more than putting band-aids on a lesion that will continue to ooze.
11.16.2006
merry fucking christmas
every year it seems people become more distressed over hearing the phrase "merry christmas". this political correctedness is way overblown. aren't there more things to direct emotional distress towards than someone wishing you a sincere merry christmas?
i'm not christian. the phrase doesn't bother me. i'm not african. greeting me with "happy kwaanza" doesn't offend me either.
that being said i will tell you what bothers me. the entire holiday season bothers me. THE PRESSURE. the on-going pressure everytime you step outside your house. the pressure you feel when every other commercial on television shows the scenes of family gathered around the table and tree. the pressure you feel when you connect to the internet and are bombarded with articles with pretty little ads showing snow and fires and upper middle class secure happy family, assuming every one has that life. the pressure you feel when the phone rings and family members for whom you feel no connection with want to know what your plans are so that you can get together (because it IS the holidays afterall) and keep the illusion going of the "picture perfect" family where you are really not there to share who you are and to be known and accepted for who you are but instead are merely a fixture. at this point, you could simply paint my picture in with photoshop for my family pictures. the meaning would still hold the same value.
that being said, i am nostalgic. i do have a heart that still has some warmth and tenderness to it. i do long for the norman rockwell painting to become reality in my life. i long to own that little home in the woods, a fresh dusting of snow having fallen on christmas eve, a warm fire having being lit in the fireplace, my spouse and i blissfully happy, watching our child--or children--giggle enthusiastically as they open their presents. all of us happy. healthy. secure.
secure because we are one of the lucky ones who just happen to make our dreams a reality. or secure because our government has snapped out of their crime spree and is now putting revenue back into the hands of the people, ensuring all have the equal opportunity and support--on going--that enables ALL to achieve their dreams.
until such time, i will likely slip into my grinch "merry fucking christmas" shoes. that is when i'm not crying my heart out over what i wish had been....what i wish i had.......what i wish could be.......
i'm not christian. the phrase doesn't bother me. i'm not african. greeting me with "happy kwaanza" doesn't offend me either.
that being said i will tell you what bothers me. the entire holiday season bothers me. THE PRESSURE. the on-going pressure everytime you step outside your house. the pressure you feel when every other commercial on television shows the scenes of family gathered around the table and tree. the pressure you feel when you connect to the internet and are bombarded with articles with pretty little ads showing snow and fires and upper middle class secure happy family, assuming every one has that life. the pressure you feel when the phone rings and family members for whom you feel no connection with want to know what your plans are so that you can get together (because it IS the holidays afterall) and keep the illusion going of the "picture perfect" family where you are really not there to share who you are and to be known and accepted for who you are but instead are merely a fixture. at this point, you could simply paint my picture in with photoshop for my family pictures. the meaning would still hold the same value.
that being said, i am nostalgic. i do have a heart that still has some warmth and tenderness to it. i do long for the norman rockwell painting to become reality in my life. i long to own that little home in the woods, a fresh dusting of snow having fallen on christmas eve, a warm fire having being lit in the fireplace, my spouse and i blissfully happy, watching our child--or children--giggle enthusiastically as they open their presents. all of us happy. healthy. secure.
secure because we are one of the lucky ones who just happen to make our dreams a reality. or secure because our government has snapped out of their crime spree and is now putting revenue back into the hands of the people, ensuring all have the equal opportunity and support--on going--that enables ALL to achieve their dreams.
until such time, i will likely slip into my grinch "merry fucking christmas" shoes. that is when i'm not crying my heart out over what i wish had been....what i wish i had.......what i wish could be.......
11.11.2006
i pledge allegience, uh, to myself
most of us grew up saying the pledge of allegiance. it was something that was so ingrained in me, i never stopped to consider what i was saying or why. a natural thing for a power base to do to its citizenry. chant chant chant without thinking. blind obedience to a tradition.
obviously i snapped out of my trance and in time began questioning why i had been forced to do this all of those years. it became uncomfortable for me, so it's a practice i rarely, if ever, participate in. however that being said, i believe in freedom of speech and thus i believe people have the right to either say or not say the pledge. this recent move by a group of college students in orange county, ca, while it doesn't provide enough details for me to form a thoughtful opinion, feels a bit extreme. an out and out ban? sounds like the flip side of the coin........we'll either force you to say the pledge or we will take away your right to say the pledge.
i pledge allegience
to the knowledge
of the truth that resides within me.
n.
obviously i snapped out of my trance and in time began questioning why i had been forced to do this all of those years. it became uncomfortable for me, so it's a practice i rarely, if ever, participate in. however that being said, i believe in freedom of speech and thus i believe people have the right to either say or not say the pledge. this recent move by a group of college students in orange county, ca, while it doesn't provide enough details for me to form a thoughtful opinion, feels a bit extreme. an out and out ban? sounds like the flip side of the coin........we'll either force you to say the pledge or we will take away your right to say the pledge.
i pledge allegience
to the knowledge
of the truth that resides within me.
n.
11.10.2006
hadn't seen this one before........
was online yesterday doing internet searches for the types of work i am interested in........after hitting that proverbial brick wall, i ended up screaming "I HATE MY LIFE"...........to which, after i was again calm, i heard this small voice say "type that in the search box".
so i did and found a website with that very title. i laughed, and decided to browse through it some. in doing so, i came upon this website. wow. i wasn't aware there was a piece of legislation like this one. now, i haven't taken the time to look much into this site, particularly to determine how the government would fund such a task (of course it is possible if we were to reallocate the billions given to big business and instead share that wealth with the people). nonetheless, this concept, this bill, needs to be on every media outlet, every blog, on the minds and in the hearts of everyone who believes that we are ALL worthy and deserving of affordable housing, health care, living wage jobs and absolute guaranteed protection of our civil rights and liberties.
i sense it coming.............my dream of seeing a country where the wealth is shared.........it's coming..........it's coming..........
so i did and found a website with that very title. i laughed, and decided to browse through it some. in doing so, i came upon this website. wow. i wasn't aware there was a piece of legislation like this one. now, i haven't taken the time to look much into this site, particularly to determine how the government would fund such a task (of course it is possible if we were to reallocate the billions given to big business and instead share that wealth with the people). nonetheless, this concept, this bill, needs to be on every media outlet, every blog, on the minds and in the hearts of everyone who believes that we are ALL worthy and deserving of affordable housing, health care, living wage jobs and absolute guaranteed protection of our civil rights and liberties.
i sense it coming.............my dream of seeing a country where the wealth is shared.........it's coming..........it's coming..........
11.08.2006
post-election dysfunction
michael moore and the folks at moveon.org keep filling up my box. "good work!" they say. "now we can take back our democracy!" they cry out. all i can think of is "this is democracy???"
i wasn't sure how i would feel after all was said and done. even though at this moment virginia hasn't been officially announced, the democrat is leading by a good 1000 votes, so it looks as though the democrats will be ruling the walls of congress for the remainder of the bush presidency. despite knowing this is a better scenario than another 2 years of absolute republican control, i still have this sense of sadness mixed in with some apathy, sprinkled with a shot of salty anger. i'll be happy when the things that must be done actually get done........those things that aren't spoken of.......ideas that will get me labeled all sorts of nasty, ugly names and labels.....ideas such as:
~replacing the minimum wage with a living wage.
~affordable housing for all.
~ending the war on drugs and reallocating the money on treatment and understanding the emotional, mental and physical basis for addiction.
~redistributing the wealth. study after study has shown that in countries where the wealth is distributed in a more equatible manner, the citizens are much healthier.
~health care for all.
~increasing the rights of workers.
~ensuring those who are out of work/unemployed or underemployed receive financial assistance that will pay for all necessary/living expenses until such time as they are gainfully employed, making a living wage.
the democratic party supports the free market and capitalist system every bit as much as do the republicans. the democratic party wants to make sure the wealthy are happy, every bit as much as do the republicans. these "values" continue to come at great sacrifice for the middle and lower income persons. it's wrong. simply wrong. we can do different. we can do better. we must do better.
in the meantime, i'll be contemplating my ideas, thinking of ways in which to share them with the public (without running for political office). and as i do so, i will be singing the "post-election dysfunction" ballad........
it's finally over
and how do you feel?
the blue ones
now have the wheel.
people are dancing
joyfully in the street.
while some can do nothing more
than weep.
and yet here i stand
with my eyes open wide.
distrusting this latest
turn of the tide.
for i see the struggle
of the ones left behind.
unable to keep up
with the daily american grind.
if only we could see one another
for who we really are.
embracing this ideal,
we could really go far.
and yet those in charge
still refuse to see
beyond the scope of power
and into the insanity.
'tis why i'm drowning
in post election dysfunction.
nina
i wasn't sure how i would feel after all was said and done. even though at this moment virginia hasn't been officially announced, the democrat is leading by a good 1000 votes, so it looks as though the democrats will be ruling the walls of congress for the remainder of the bush presidency. despite knowing this is a better scenario than another 2 years of absolute republican control, i still have this sense of sadness mixed in with some apathy, sprinkled with a shot of salty anger. i'll be happy when the things that must be done actually get done........those things that aren't spoken of.......ideas that will get me labeled all sorts of nasty, ugly names and labels.....ideas such as:
~replacing the minimum wage with a living wage.
~affordable housing for all.
~ending the war on drugs and reallocating the money on treatment and understanding the emotional, mental and physical basis for addiction.
~redistributing the wealth. study after study has shown that in countries where the wealth is distributed in a more equatible manner, the citizens are much healthier.
~health care for all.
~increasing the rights of workers.
~ensuring those who are out of work/unemployed or underemployed receive financial assistance that will pay for all necessary/living expenses until such time as they are gainfully employed, making a living wage.
the democratic party supports the free market and capitalist system every bit as much as do the republicans. the democratic party wants to make sure the wealthy are happy, every bit as much as do the republicans. these "values" continue to come at great sacrifice for the middle and lower income persons. it's wrong. simply wrong. we can do different. we can do better. we must do better.
in the meantime, i'll be contemplating my ideas, thinking of ways in which to share them with the public (without running for political office). and as i do so, i will be singing the "post-election dysfunction" ballad........
it's finally over
and how do you feel?
the blue ones
now have the wheel.
people are dancing
joyfully in the street.
while some can do nothing more
than weep.
and yet here i stand
with my eyes open wide.
distrusting this latest
turn of the tide.
for i see the struggle
of the ones left behind.
unable to keep up
with the daily american grind.
if only we could see one another
for who we really are.
embracing this ideal,
we could really go far.
and yet those in charge
still refuse to see
beyond the scope of power
and into the insanity.
'tis why i'm drowning
in post election dysfunction.
nina
11.07.2006
uh uh uh uh................DUH!
shock! gasp! surprise surprise! there's chaos in the voting equipment today.......
question is, will this "disturbance" reflect on the republican ticket yet once again???
question is, will this "disturbance" reflect on the republican ticket yet once again???
11.06.2006
monday morning pre-election blues
spouse has decided to vote. after much inner-debating, i begrudingly did that last week. he wants to know how i voted. he trusts my opinion. normally i am one who loooooooooves to be asked my opinion, especially on things of the political nature. however, when it comes to filling in those voting circles, i cannot bring myself to tell someone what to do or who i voted for and why. figure it out for yourself, please.
michael moore and moveon.org have been flooding my e-mailbox lately, urging me how important it is that i call everyone i know and tell them to vote and encourage them to vote democrat. (i can just see how that would fly with my family, who usually vote republican and who think the word "socialism" is a baaaaaaaaaaaad word.) gotta "take back the country" from those nasty republican thieves. granted, our country has gone in a direction i find horrifying the past few years, but i am certainly intelligent enough to know the democrat's priority is the same as the republicans: KEEP THOSE IN CHARGE OF THE MONEY HAPPY
"take back the country". i can laugh on that one. when in the last 40 years has this country ever really belonged to we the people? ever since kennedy was killed, the government ceased being a government of and for the people. idealism died in political leadership that day. or at least the flame was blown out. that's why i am a big supporter of independent parties. new ideas. ideas that challenge the oh-so-outdated two-party system.
i visited a "progressive" political website for my state. the word "progressive" has been stolen and turned into something else. my little dictionary here defines progressive as "favoring reform, forward thinking". this website thinks the democrats are, given the two parties, the "progressive" party.
hmmmmmmmmm..............
well ok, given the two parties, yes, the democrats are more forward thinking. and yet they still have their eyes closed when it comes to the following:
1) national health care for all
2) establishing a living wage for all
3) getting the hell out of NAFTA and the WTO
4) addressing the outrageous cost of housing and growing numbers of folks living in poverty
5) stop the $$ waste on this ludicrious "war on drugs" and instead put some of that money towards treatment and understanding the deeper reasons for addiction
6) along those lines, LEGALIZE LEGALIZE LEGALIZE
7) what really happened on 9/11
8) their marriage to corporate america and lobbyists
9) addressing the damages caused by capitalism
10) montsanto's global agenda to control the food production
11) the risks of western medicine, including vaccinations
12) along those lines, the benefits of homeopathic and herbal remedies
13) tossing the patriot acts
14) STOP SAYING AMERICA IS THE GREATEST NATION OF ALL.........i mean geesh come on already..........are we really THAT arrogantly presumptious??? pride without some open humbleness doesn't create the space for cooperation and friendship......
i could go on and on with this list..............
the next 48 hours will be interesting, i would gather.............or the whole election may simply pass quietly into the night, without so much as a peep...........
we can only hope, right?
michael moore and moveon.org have been flooding my e-mailbox lately, urging me how important it is that i call everyone i know and tell them to vote and encourage them to vote democrat. (i can just see how that would fly with my family, who usually vote republican and who think the word "socialism" is a baaaaaaaaaaaad word.) gotta "take back the country" from those nasty republican thieves. granted, our country has gone in a direction i find horrifying the past few years, but i am certainly intelligent enough to know the democrat's priority is the same as the republicans: KEEP THOSE IN CHARGE OF THE MONEY HAPPY
"take back the country". i can laugh on that one. when in the last 40 years has this country ever really belonged to we the people? ever since kennedy was killed, the government ceased being a government of and for the people. idealism died in political leadership that day. or at least the flame was blown out. that's why i am a big supporter of independent parties. new ideas. ideas that challenge the oh-so-outdated two-party system.
i visited a "progressive" political website for my state. the word "progressive" has been stolen and turned into something else. my little dictionary here defines progressive as "favoring reform, forward thinking". this website thinks the democrats are, given the two parties, the "progressive" party.
hmmmmmmmmm..............
well ok, given the two parties, yes, the democrats are more forward thinking. and yet they still have their eyes closed when it comes to the following:
1) national health care for all
2) establishing a living wage for all
3) getting the hell out of NAFTA and the WTO
4) addressing the outrageous cost of housing and growing numbers of folks living in poverty
5) stop the $$ waste on this ludicrious "war on drugs" and instead put some of that money towards treatment and understanding the deeper reasons for addiction
6) along those lines, LEGALIZE LEGALIZE LEGALIZE
7) what really happened on 9/11
8) their marriage to corporate america and lobbyists
9) addressing the damages caused by capitalism
10) montsanto's global agenda to control the food production
11) the risks of western medicine, including vaccinations
12) along those lines, the benefits of homeopathic and herbal remedies
13) tossing the patriot acts
14) STOP SAYING AMERICA IS THE GREATEST NATION OF ALL.........i mean geesh come on already..........are we really THAT arrogantly presumptious??? pride without some open humbleness doesn't create the space for cooperation and friendship......
i could go on and on with this list..............
the next 48 hours will be interesting, i would gather.............or the whole election may simply pass quietly into the night, without so much as a peep...........
we can only hope, right?
11.02.2006
a little of this, a little of that.........
i read something disturbing today: since monsanto began forcing their way into the lives of farmers with their genetically altered seeds, 20,000 farmers in india have committed suicide. the cultivation of genetically altered cotton in has lead to massive crop failures, driving the farmers into poverty and bankruptcy.
20,000 people. TWENTY THOUSAND. i would have to say monsanto is the most dangerous "disease" on the planet today. they have the ability to control the entire food population and thus our health. our lives.
i completed my ballot. well it isn't quite complete considering i left a lot of those oval circles empty. i also wrote some folks in. i wonder if anyone at our local election headquarters is familiar with zardon............ i read a letter to the editor in some paper awhile back. the writer was urging all of us to simply not vote. personally, i have favored that idea for a few years now, however it is a logistics nightmare and the chances of getting the vast majority to favor it are slim to none. anyhow, the writer said he simply wrote "NO" in large letters across the ballot. i thought that would make for a wonderful art gallery display--artistic expression with the theme of "voter apathy".
lots of stink over the recent antics of rush limbaugh and his remarks about and ensuing impression of michael j. fox. i read something of interest about what rush had to say. it was written by a medical doctor who said the medications that mr. fox takes do exagerrate his symptoms for a brief period of time. i also read that mr. fox admitted in his biography to taking these meds before appearing in front of some government committee in order to garner more sympathy. who knows what to believe. if this is true, while i may not approve of such a method to garner support for a cause, i can understand the desire--the strong desire--to see the fruition of the end result, in this case the funding for stem cell research. furthermore, even if there is truth in this, to make a point by making fun of someone who has an illness is simply inhumane and shows what a bully he is. and we all know that bullies, deep inside, are very frightened, insecure people. and as a side note: if they are male, they usually have issues with their penis and/or their sexuality.
rush limbaugh. the pill-popping, republican ass-washing, playground bully who is afwaid of his widdle pee pee..........
i found a really good vitamin company--swanson's health products. i've shopped around, both in the stores and online, and have never been ok with the idea that you have to spend at least $30 per month per person for a good multi-vitamin. i was offended a few months ago at a local vitamin store when i was told that the $18.99 bottle of multi-vits i was buying wasn't nearly as good in quality as the $49.99 bottle. i said i couldn't afford the more expensive brand (which interestingly enough was the store brand) and was given a weird look by the clerk, who then walked away. i've had a couple of other weird experiences with this store, who seem to cater to people who actually HAVE money to freely dispose of at a whim on the latest, most expensive health care miracle supplement.
so anyway, i found swanson's. they were also recommended by a friend, a fellow low-income earner, who has been with them for years. she said their products were excellent and their customer service, superior. i was sceptical, but after placing my order and receiving their products, i gotta admit she was right. first of all, when i called, i didn't reach an automated system. a person actually ANSWERED THE PHONE! can you believe that???? in this day and age??? i was so caught off guard, i had to say "you mean this is a LIVE person i am speaking with?? i don't have to press any buttons for english or to place an order???" she laughed and said "of course not. that's now how we do business here." WOW. a made-in-america company operating in the way of the good 'ole days. there's hope for america yet, i tell ya...........anyway, their products arrived quickly--within one week of processing my order. i popped the multi-vitamin and i could actually feel something taking place in my body. it was a subtle change but i did notice something. my spouse said the same thing. never had that experience before. the vit/mineral combination is equal to that of the more expensive brands. today i placed another order for a tri-mushroom complex and astragalus--substances that have been shown to increase immune response, decrease inflammation and have anti-cancer agents. the chinese actually use these particular mushrooms to fight cancer and tumors. i've been sick off and on all month so it's imperative i do something extra to keep my immune system strong.
so much more i could write about with the world, but the other bloggers are doing a good job of that on their own.
nina
20,000 people. TWENTY THOUSAND. i would have to say monsanto is the most dangerous "disease" on the planet today. they have the ability to control the entire food population and thus our health. our lives.
i completed my ballot. well it isn't quite complete considering i left a lot of those oval circles empty. i also wrote some folks in. i wonder if anyone at our local election headquarters is familiar with zardon............ i read a letter to the editor in some paper awhile back. the writer was urging all of us to simply not vote. personally, i have favored that idea for a few years now, however it is a logistics nightmare and the chances of getting the vast majority to favor it are slim to none. anyhow, the writer said he simply wrote "NO" in large letters across the ballot. i thought that would make for a wonderful art gallery display--artistic expression with the theme of "voter apathy".
lots of stink over the recent antics of rush limbaugh and his remarks about and ensuing impression of michael j. fox. i read something of interest about what rush had to say. it was written by a medical doctor who said the medications that mr. fox takes do exagerrate his symptoms for a brief period of time. i also read that mr. fox admitted in his biography to taking these meds before appearing in front of some government committee in order to garner more sympathy. who knows what to believe. if this is true, while i may not approve of such a method to garner support for a cause, i can understand the desire--the strong desire--to see the fruition of the end result, in this case the funding for stem cell research. furthermore, even if there is truth in this, to make a point by making fun of someone who has an illness is simply inhumane and shows what a bully he is. and we all know that bullies, deep inside, are very frightened, insecure people. and as a side note: if they are male, they usually have issues with their penis and/or their sexuality.
rush limbaugh. the pill-popping, republican ass-washing, playground bully who is afwaid of his widdle pee pee..........
i found a really good vitamin company--swanson's health products. i've shopped around, both in the stores and online, and have never been ok with the idea that you have to spend at least $30 per month per person for a good multi-vitamin. i was offended a few months ago at a local vitamin store when i was told that the $18.99 bottle of multi-vits i was buying wasn't nearly as good in quality as the $49.99 bottle. i said i couldn't afford the more expensive brand (which interestingly enough was the store brand) and was given a weird look by the clerk, who then walked away. i've had a couple of other weird experiences with this store, who seem to cater to people who actually HAVE money to freely dispose of at a whim on the latest, most expensive health care miracle supplement.
so anyway, i found swanson's. they were also recommended by a friend, a fellow low-income earner, who has been with them for years. she said their products were excellent and their customer service, superior. i was sceptical, but after placing my order and receiving their products, i gotta admit she was right. first of all, when i called, i didn't reach an automated system. a person actually ANSWERED THE PHONE! can you believe that???? in this day and age??? i was so caught off guard, i had to say "you mean this is a LIVE person i am speaking with?? i don't have to press any buttons for english or to place an order???" she laughed and said "of course not. that's now how we do business here." WOW. a made-in-america company operating in the way of the good 'ole days. there's hope for america yet, i tell ya...........anyway, their products arrived quickly--within one week of processing my order. i popped the multi-vitamin and i could actually feel something taking place in my body. it was a subtle change but i did notice something. my spouse said the same thing. never had that experience before. the vit/mineral combination is equal to that of the more expensive brands. today i placed another order for a tri-mushroom complex and astragalus--substances that have been shown to increase immune response, decrease inflammation and have anti-cancer agents. the chinese actually use these particular mushrooms to fight cancer and tumors. i've been sick off and on all month so it's imperative i do something extra to keep my immune system strong.
so much more i could write about with the world, but the other bloggers are doing a good job of that on their own.
nina
10.30.2006
All The Leaves Are Brown......
only the skies aren't gray but rather bright blue. and no trails today either. planes are releasing only vapor trails today.
being it was such a nice day i decided to tackle the leaves. our house is situated in an idealic place. idealic if you are a leaf or twig or particle of dust looking for a place to call home. it seems as though the wind is always blowing in the perfect direction to gather all unwanted yard waste from our surrounding neighbors yards and placing it promptly in our front yard. after last year, i made the decision to wait until mid-november to rake. last year i swept and picked up every other day. it really was a waste of time and i know those damn leaves were laughing at me as they fell to the ground, slowly replacing the pile i had just dumped into the yard waste container. well i know it isn't mid-november yet, but the weather was dry and sunny and being we have trick-or-treaters visiting tomorrow night, i thought it would be a good idea to see the ground again.
2 hours later, back throbbing, hands cramped up and full of slivers (couldn't find the gloves) i was seriously rethinking my decision. the yard looks great--at the moment--but my body was and is in desperate need of a massage followed by a long soak in a hot tub. i have access to neither, so i am, um, visualizing.
as i swept, a song went through my mind. the landlord song. we aren't required to take care of the property outside--one of landlord's family members is supposed to be out every 2 weeks to do that. we're lucky if he shows up once a month. being my body was aching and i was no longer enjoying the warmth of the sun (it was making me sweat) or the crisp autumn air (it was making my nose run), i began to think how nice it must be to be a landlord................."oh i want to be a landlord, a landlord, a landlord.........i want to be a landlord, yes indeed.........it must be nice to own a home and have someone else take care of it..........it must be nice to own a home and have someone else pay for it.........it must be nice to dictate the price, dictate the price, dictate the price........and when all is said and done i will be laughing my way to the bank........oh i want to be a landlord, a landlord, a landlord.........i want to be a landlord, yes indeed!"
i noticed a bunch of acorns...............we've had a curious squirrel frequent our yard......my hub says it's to gather nuts........i think he has an alterior motive--to torment our dog......oh well, he will be disappointed to know most of his nuts went unplanted...........
being i was sweeping leaves into a pile and putting them into the yard waste, this meant i did a lot of bending and stooping over. i was wearing jeans--the kind that sit low on the waste. i love them--as long as i don't have to bend over. when you do that, you inevitably must pull them up as you pull yourself upright. and if the jeans sit low enough, you have to pull up the undies as well. my girlfriend says to wear a thong with the low-rider jeans. i simply laugh. men--ANY woman who tells you they are comfortable or that you get used to them is LYING. L Y I N G either that or having fabric shoved intentionally up her ass for hours at a time has cut off some oxygen supply to her brain, enabling her to think or speak clearly.
so.........i probably painted an unusual picture...........bending over, putting a hand on my lower back and moaning/groaning/swearing, straightening back up pulling up my jeans and undies then wiping my nose with the back of my sleeve...........what a sight of femininity, eh?
being it was such a nice day i decided to tackle the leaves. our house is situated in an idealic place. idealic if you are a leaf or twig or particle of dust looking for a place to call home. it seems as though the wind is always blowing in the perfect direction to gather all unwanted yard waste from our surrounding neighbors yards and placing it promptly in our front yard. after last year, i made the decision to wait until mid-november to rake. last year i swept and picked up every other day. it really was a waste of time and i know those damn leaves were laughing at me as they fell to the ground, slowly replacing the pile i had just dumped into the yard waste container. well i know it isn't mid-november yet, but the weather was dry and sunny and being we have trick-or-treaters visiting tomorrow night, i thought it would be a good idea to see the ground again.
2 hours later, back throbbing, hands cramped up and full of slivers (couldn't find the gloves) i was seriously rethinking my decision. the yard looks great--at the moment--but my body was and is in desperate need of a massage followed by a long soak in a hot tub. i have access to neither, so i am, um, visualizing.
as i swept, a song went through my mind. the landlord song. we aren't required to take care of the property outside--one of landlord's family members is supposed to be out every 2 weeks to do that. we're lucky if he shows up once a month. being my body was aching and i was no longer enjoying the warmth of the sun (it was making me sweat) or the crisp autumn air (it was making my nose run), i began to think how nice it must be to be a landlord................."oh i want to be a landlord, a landlord, a landlord.........i want to be a landlord, yes indeed.........it must be nice to own a home and have someone else take care of it..........it must be nice to own a home and have someone else pay for it.........it must be nice to dictate the price, dictate the price, dictate the price........and when all is said and done i will be laughing my way to the bank........oh i want to be a landlord, a landlord, a landlord.........i want to be a landlord, yes indeed!"
i noticed a bunch of acorns...............we've had a curious squirrel frequent our yard......my hub says it's to gather nuts........i think he has an alterior motive--to torment our dog......oh well, he will be disappointed to know most of his nuts went unplanted...........
being i was sweeping leaves into a pile and putting them into the yard waste, this meant i did a lot of bending and stooping over. i was wearing jeans--the kind that sit low on the waste. i love them--as long as i don't have to bend over. when you do that, you inevitably must pull them up as you pull yourself upright. and if the jeans sit low enough, you have to pull up the undies as well. my girlfriend says to wear a thong with the low-rider jeans. i simply laugh. men--ANY woman who tells you they are comfortable or that you get used to them is LYING. L Y I N G either that or having fabric shoved intentionally up her ass for hours at a time has cut off some oxygen supply to her brain, enabling her to think or speak clearly.
so.........i probably painted an unusual picture...........bending over, putting a hand on my lower back and moaning/groaning/swearing, straightening back up pulling up my jeans and undies then wiping my nose with the back of my sleeve...........what a sight of femininity, eh?
10.27.2006
singing the election song.......
if you could hear me sing, i would sound like a howling coyote. not a howling coyote searching for a mate. not a howling coyote making myself known. nope. i would sound like a howling coyote who is experiencing pain.........
i'm holding this voters ballot. it is my anger that wishes to rip it up. it is my pain that wishes to speak to the pretty pictures of the candidates. "WHY?! why have you spoon-fed we the public your campaign promise drivel when you need to be speaking about the system for what it is: FUCKED UP. why haven't you spoken of real campaign finance reform--you know what i'm talking about--the kind of reform that puts a MAXIMUM DOLLAR (i like $50--it's a good number) on the amount any individual, organization or corporation can donate in any political election year. not day. not second. YEAR. why haven't you said the capitalist system has created a system of division. of discrimination. equal opportunity for all? give me a break! why haven't you said every person is deserving of a clean, safe home. clean clothing. healthy, abundant supply of food. safe transportation. and health care. all without being based on their income, sexual orientation, religion, race, political affiliation, size of their nose, whether or not they have a tattoo, etc. etc............"
there is so much talk from the progressives who seem utterly convinced that putting democrats back in charge will fix what has ailed us the past 6 years. sigh. this country's been ailing for DECADES. we're just seeing the effects more clearly now. take the bush and reagan administrations. these dudes got into power and created the "trickle down" theory. you know the story--allow the rich to have more of their money, they'll in turn spend it, pumping more money back into the economy which by some miraculous powers will find it's way to the starving african-american neighborhood, whose homes have been built next to a waste facility because some powerful zoning expert deemed it "safe".
these same two dudes also decided to put an end to the "finding the cure for cancer" cause. oh it was brilliant, what these two did, destroying all evidence that had been put together by some major universities back in the 1970's that showed the active ingredient in marijuana, THC, had been shown to both reduce and eliminate certain cancer tumors. we need to understand why this was done though. they had a war to start. the war on drugs. or as it really is, the war on people.
of course that was a republican administration. but 8 years of clinton didn't fare us any better. (perhaps he should have inhaled.) he was a supporter of NAFTA afterall. ship them jobs overseas. he continued to support the elite while he hid behind some supposedly middle-class american family policies. the family leave act. and let's not forget his supposed attempt, along with wife billary, to establish a national health care plan. what did he do with the poor, other than to proclaim "i feel your pain?" oh that's right--he made it tougher for welfare-recipients to stay on assistance--forcing single mothers to go to work for minimum wage, having to find a way to provide day care for their children. oh, but they were "success stories"--the welfare-to-work program. i always wondered why the term "livable wage" was never included in that scenario.
so the dems may regain the house and perhaps the senate. who knows. who really cares. think they'll talk about the issues that really matter to you and i? (i found it interesting to see a poll that showed the majority of americans polled put homeland security and the war on terror on the bottom of the list of topics presented and yet the pukaticians continue to banter away on winning this unwinnable war--totally side-stepping the concerns of the people.) think they'll put aside their own obsessions with money and power and will begin to work for you and i? you know, we the people?
so back to my ballot. my choice to vote. do i or don't i. there's a saying that goes something like this: "if you don't vote, you have no right to complain." if only the author of that saying could see what the process has become today. he/she would likely think differently. come up with a new saying. "if you don't vote, well my friend, i hear ya. i hear ya............"
i'm holding this voters ballot. it is my anger that wishes to rip it up. it is my pain that wishes to speak to the pretty pictures of the candidates. "WHY?! why have you spoon-fed we the public your campaign promise drivel when you need to be speaking about the system for what it is: FUCKED UP. why haven't you spoken of real campaign finance reform--you know what i'm talking about--the kind of reform that puts a MAXIMUM DOLLAR (i like $50--it's a good number) on the amount any individual, organization or corporation can donate in any political election year. not day. not second. YEAR. why haven't you said the capitalist system has created a system of division. of discrimination. equal opportunity for all? give me a break! why haven't you said every person is deserving of a clean, safe home. clean clothing. healthy, abundant supply of food. safe transportation. and health care. all without being based on their income, sexual orientation, religion, race, political affiliation, size of their nose, whether or not they have a tattoo, etc. etc............"
there is so much talk from the progressives who seem utterly convinced that putting democrats back in charge will fix what has ailed us the past 6 years. sigh. this country's been ailing for DECADES. we're just seeing the effects more clearly now. take the bush and reagan administrations. these dudes got into power and created the "trickle down" theory. you know the story--allow the rich to have more of their money, they'll in turn spend it, pumping more money back into the economy which by some miraculous powers will find it's way to the starving african-american neighborhood, whose homes have been built next to a waste facility because some powerful zoning expert deemed it "safe".
these same two dudes also decided to put an end to the "finding the cure for cancer" cause. oh it was brilliant, what these two did, destroying all evidence that had been put together by some major universities back in the 1970's that showed the active ingredient in marijuana, THC, had been shown to both reduce and eliminate certain cancer tumors. we need to understand why this was done though. they had a war to start. the war on drugs. or as it really is, the war on people.
of course that was a republican administration. but 8 years of clinton didn't fare us any better. (perhaps he should have inhaled.) he was a supporter of NAFTA afterall. ship them jobs overseas. he continued to support the elite while he hid behind some supposedly middle-class american family policies. the family leave act. and let's not forget his supposed attempt, along with wife billary, to establish a national health care plan. what did he do with the poor, other than to proclaim "i feel your pain?" oh that's right--he made it tougher for welfare-recipients to stay on assistance--forcing single mothers to go to work for minimum wage, having to find a way to provide day care for their children. oh, but they were "success stories"--the welfare-to-work program. i always wondered why the term "livable wage" was never included in that scenario.
so the dems may regain the house and perhaps the senate. who knows. who really cares. think they'll talk about the issues that really matter to you and i? (i found it interesting to see a poll that showed the majority of americans polled put homeland security and the war on terror on the bottom of the list of topics presented and yet the pukaticians continue to banter away on winning this unwinnable war--totally side-stepping the concerns of the people.) think they'll put aside their own obsessions with money and power and will begin to work for you and i? you know, we the people?
so back to my ballot. my choice to vote. do i or don't i. there's a saying that goes something like this: "if you don't vote, you have no right to complain." if only the author of that saying could see what the process has become today. he/she would likely think differently. come up with a new saying. "if you don't vote, well my friend, i hear ya. i hear ya............"
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