March 20, 2006

Something else I find absurd.

I have been doing quite a bit of research for term papers as of late, and one of my papers is on the state of sex education in our schools. It was extremely disheartening to know that the federal government pours millions of dollars of funding into abstinence-only programs, programs that use scare tactics as a learning tool. I cannot believe that in our day and age that such ignorance runs rampant in this country. Does the Conservative Administration not realize the importance of empowering our youth through knowledge, giving them the tools to protect themselves and their lives in todays society? The abstinence-only programs have to adhere to a strict set of eight criteria, mostly using fear and shame in an attempt to "scare" our youth out of having sex. Well that isn't going to happen, I don't know how they think they are going to change the very nature of the human race by being big Republican bullies. With abstinence-only there is little talk of STDs, contraception, and certianly no access to condoms in school. I was also shocked by the lawsuits that some of these court happy parents were slapping on the schools. One couple sued the school because they were teaching comprehensive sex education and providing information about condoms and contraception. Well I guess they would prefer to have their daughter knocked up at 14, or their son contract HIV? Canada and countries in Europe have comprehensive sex education and their teen pregnancy rates are nowhere near as high as the United States. Absurdity at it's finest.... It is time for parents to speak up, let our leaders  know that it is time to protect our children, not deny them the knowledge and skills that could save their live! Our government needs to get out of this "ignore it and it will go away" mode, for that is the perfect way to increase the number of HIV cases in this country. Thank god for organizations like KNOW and the World Health Organization. Without t hem we would be close minded and uninformed, like some of our bumbling leaders are.

The Matrix......This movie came to mind when I was reading a journal entry by sisterjinx. I remember a sociology class where we evaluated the movie and applied it to everyday society, and it was actually very relevant. Common themes included control of our lives in some way by the government, a society which seemed to embrace homogeny, where diversity and differing opinions were not valued, a society I would view to be quite boring. That class assignment was actually one of the most interesting I have undertaken in my educational career.

Well semester break is almost over, school starts for me on tuesday, and I haven't even stocked up on supplies yet! Maybe tomorrow. I had lasik eye surgery last week, the verdict is still out on that, but it seems to be working out pretty well so far, I can see great today, but a few days ago I had really dry eyes at work.

I'm doing ok with my new year's goals, I have dejunked at least one room in my house and have been working on my "trimming the fat" resolution by eating better than I had been before new year's.

I am hoping to hear soon whether or not I have been accepted to the Accelerated Nurse Practitioner program, but I am fairly confident. I did get a 4.0 last semester, so my grades shouldn't give them any question, as long as everything else is in order. Well i'm off to study for a CLEP test I am taking later today, Foundations of Gerontology. Take care all. Recycle, in any way possible.

Today is the first day of the rest of my life. Today I start eating healthy and living a healthier lifestyle. Although I am not going to disclose my current weight on here, I will divulge information as weight is lost. The hardest part is going to be sticking to the diet and being disciplined. I am also going to clean my house like it has never been cleaned before, getting rid of clutter and anything I don't use. I have a week off to make a dent in the housecleaning before I have a marathon week of work and return to school the week after that. I think once the ball gets rolling I will start feeling better about it all and things will be in motion after that. Well, that is all for now....... Updates soon.

Happy Holidays!

The Year in Review

December 25, 2005

This year was a year of awakening to the world and to me, you would have to be blind or just plain ignorant to not have been impacted by the most publicized events of the year.

Southeast Asia Tsunami-December 26, 2004. Can you imagine waking up the day after Christmas on your family vacation by a wall of water crashing into your hotel, or can you imagine just waking up and your home and all its possessions are just washed away without any warning. The tsunami was a terrible tragedy, but the world really pulled together with donations and fundraising events to help the people affected by this terrible tragedy. My only hope is that this money gets to where it is needed most and that it does not fall into the wrong hands. One year ago, we have learned so much and realized so little it seems.

Iraq War-Ongoing. How many more of our sons and daughters must die because of this conflict? It gets to the point where you wonder why we are in that country, there are other places that our government could be helping that I believe are in greater need, and would probably appreciate it more. The world Quagmire is used a lot when referring to Iraq, and that is such a true statement. There are so many variables with the war in Iraq, you have the insurgency attacking American interests, yet then there are the innocents that you must stay to protect. It is my thought that we are in a catch 22 in that country, and have committed to a lengthy stay by default. War was declared far too quickly against Iraq and now look at the mess the US has gotten itself into. The loss of lives saddens me greatly, sons, daughters, mothers and fathers dying because of a hasty decision which I believe was made to make up for daddy's mistakes and oil money. If you have not seen Farenheit 911 you should definitely consider it required viewing, as it will make you think.

Hurricane Katrina-August 2005. A domestic tragedy which studies have proven would happen. There are so many questions related to this tragedy which are yet to be answered, if they will even ever be answered. It disgusts me that someone didn't do something for the poor people of New Orleans when they had even the slightest indication that a Category 5 hurricane was bearing down on them. Public transportation failed miserably and the city, state and federal government failed these people miserably. Not to mention the horrible conditions the hospitals were left in. I remember a picture of busses flooded in New Orleans. Think of how many people could have been evacuated northward with those buses, not to mention the city buses that could have been used to get people out. The levees surrounding the city were only capable of holding back a Category 3 storm surge, and multiple studies have been done, not to mention articles depicting the exact scenario that happened. It is just mind boggling the cavalier attitude of the officials in Louisiana, the delay in ordering evacuation, the inability to transport people out of city, instead housing them in the Superdome. So much blame can be placed, but I hope instead that lessons are learned from this event, and implemented to avoid another tragedy of this magnitude. You would think that the Tsunami would have awakened people to the power of mother nature, but it took Hurricane Katrina to really hit home and make us realize how small we really are.

Personal Reflection. I have realized so many things this year, the world is such a vast place, there are so many individuals and communities in need of help and assistance in many various ways. From a fair trade economy for nations recieving US subsidies, to a fair wage and good benefits for Wal Mart (and other low wage occupation) workers so they no longer have to be dependent on welfare and ultimately the taxpayers. This year for me is about "trimming the fat", decreasing waste and expense in my life, as well as eating healthy and living a more healthy lifestyle. My main goals for the next year are to continue with school, live a healthier lifestyle, and decrease waste and expense in everyday life. I am already a cheapskate to begin with, but I think if I am more resourceful I can save more, in many aspects of my life. It is my dream to advance my healthcare education so that I can in turn impact others and assist them in empowering themselves through education and prevention of illness. I would love to travel to other countries and work with people there, educating them and empowering them to improve their health and general well being. I no longer want the high paying job with the nice house, it would be nice, but I think I will get more satisfaction from helping others that need it most.

People I look up to for their social contributions and intelligence-Bono, Oprah, Bill and Melinda Gates, Angelina Jolie and anyone else making an effort to influence the lives of the less fortunate.

Winter begins tomorrow! December 21st is a busy day for me, it is my daughter's birthday, the shortest day of the year, the first day of winter and the winter solstice, whew! Well I did it, I actually got a 4.0 GPA this semester, I am quite excited about that. Now they HAVE to accept me into the accelerated Nurse Practitioner program, at least I hope they will! I should hear sometime early next year whether or not I have been accepted. I am very happy about the 4.0 though, I actually get to make the President's List once in my life! I always have made the Dean's list but never the President's list. And it will look good when it comes time to apply for the honor society Sigma Theta Tau. Not to mention in the far distant future, a good transcript will help me when applying for that Foreign Service job. Now my focus is studying for an Excelsior College Exam that I am not even sure how to prepare for, it is Foundations of Gerontology and I am so unsure of what is expected, the study guide I have seems outdated. I took my daughter to see The Chronicles of Narnia on Saturday and I highly recommend seeing the movie, it was great. I want to go see it again, but there are so many other movies I want to watch as well. I will just have to wait until it comes out on video and buy it. Well this is enough ramble for one day, Happy Holidays!

The "cost" of a Christmas present, think about it, how much the present really "costs", not the money out of your pocketbook or charged to your credit card, but the cost that went into making that present and the injustice involved in corporate bureacracy. Case in point, you buy a $10 toy at Wal-Mart (yes I am going there) and you think, wow what a great deal, now I have more money to spend and perpetuate this cycle. Yet we never really think about the human cost involved in that $10 toy. Made in China-found on at least 70% of the gifts that will be opened in most households this Christmas day. What we often fail to realize that that $10 toy may have been made by someone that makes dozens of toys each day, yet is only compensated $10 a day, or less, leaving the rest of the profits for the corporate bureaucracy. Not to mention the support of Wal-mart and the taking away of profits from local businesses. Who said that NAFTA was a good thing? Talk about a backlash, factories are closing, corporations are "outsourcing". Outsourcing-fancy word for using cheap labor to make a product or provide a service so that they can keep charging the same to customers for products and services, paying their workers a less than living wage, and pocketing a bigger profit. What this boils down to is think before you buy, handmade crafts by a local artisan or products bought at a fair trade value and resold, support for a local business, and buying products that are Made in the USA are all ways that you can have a more socially responsible Christmas. Not to mention you will feel better about supporting the local community, local individuals and keeping the $$$ out of the fatcats of corporate bureacracy, sending the message that if they must outsource, a fair wage should be paid to the workers involved. That's one way to get the jobs back in America.

Twenty five years exactly from John Lennon's death. I was all of four when he died, so I can't say as I remember the event, but his legacy does live on. How ironic that we still don't "get it" 25 years later. Human civilization still has not progressed to the point of being able to get along with one another, and wars still wage across our planet. I ask why? When did human life become so disposable? When did one group become suddenly better than another, if only by luck of the draw. Some of my favorite lyrics from a U2 song "where you are born should not decide, whether you live or whether you die..." really drive this home. While eveyone is celebrating their Christmas with their families and their expensive gifts, or however you celebrate the holidays, be it Kwanzaa, Hanukah or another cultural event, please take time to remember the lives lost, and the dreams shattered. All of this just because people cannot realize and celebrate diversity, instead condemning it and finding a way to wage war. This hatred has to stop, people have to appreciate the precious gift that life is. We as a human race have the potential to accomplish so much, and to do so much good for others, if our selfish wants and desires would only let us. Why can't people just get along? That is the question for eternity. Treat others as you would want to be treated and respect others opininons and differences. Embrace diversity, embrace society, and work for a common good.

Reflection for the holiday season.

We need more people like John Lennon in the world and less like George Bush.

Today is December 7, 2005, the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor so many years ago. We should all remember and give thanks to our veterans (yes I am one) and especially they men and women serving our country today, both overseas and domestically. Although I do not condone the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, we must support our fellow citizens who are over fighting the war. They are having a flag ceremony at my daughter's school today in honor of Pearl Harbor Day.

Pearl Harbor

On the upside I drove by Snow Ridge tonight and the lights were on and they were making snow, a most beautiful sight, it nearly brought a tear to my eye. They are scheduled to open December 10! I will be there that next weekend hopefully if my likely broken tailbone will allow me.

Snow Ridge

 

 

Happy Holidays to all! Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanzaa, Festivus or whatever your celebration, enjoy it with family and remember all you have to be thankful for. I only wish I had more time to contribute this holiday season, I would have loved to volunteer at a soup kitchen or rescue mission but didn't have the time to seek out the opportunity before Christmas snuck up on me. I was even doing last minute shopping this year on the 23rd, which is unheard of for me. Our main celebration is on Christmas Eve and it was really nice getting to see everyone, my cousins are growing up and soon they will all be off to school and working, so it was nice to see them all together. I guess we are all in school right now, except for Michael who has his degree in English. Hmm, I should have asked him for some pointers for my techincal writing class  this spring semester. Resolutions-the phrase I am going to remember is "trimming the fat" as that is what my resolution is to do in many aspects of my life. It is time to be healthier, eat healthier, and make more time for exercise. Trimming the fat also shall apply to getting rid of waste and excess unneeded items in the house and giving them to community organizations that help the less fortunate. Another way I will be trimming the fat will be by decreasing personal consumerism, I eat meals out quite often as I am on the road a lot. That sometimes is unavoidable, but when I am at work I am perfectly capable of making lunch and taking it with me instead of spending four times more to order out than it would to make my own lunch. It's silly really, and I don't know why I do it. I can certianly save the money I would otherwise be spending on laziness for something more important. I have added a few links to my website, they are for the sites for my cousins bands, Love Parade and Alive on Arrival.