Comment on comments

Hi folks,

I have to admit to having a very wide streak of naivete. Part of my worldview includes the assumption that people are honest and good until proven otherwise. As a result of that, I have not paid sufficient attention to the content of comments posted to this blog and approved by yours truly. The specific content in question is the hidden links contained in a line of periods. Seems innocuous, right? I thought so too, and it never occurred to me that these dots contained links to other websites until I happened to stumble across them and was horrified and disgusted by what I found. So this morning I did some housecleaning of my blog, going back through and permanently deleting any posts containing hidden website links. While I would be very happy if my blog attracted an audience and functioned as the starting point for enlightened discussion, it is not my intention to provide free advertising space for websites so off-color that they must be disguised. Consider this a warning: attempting to place these ads on my blog will be futile, so save your time and energy and go elsewhere. I would rather have zero readers and let this blog be an open online diary, than allow my own reputation to be tarnished by association.

Okay, this has obviously hit a nerve with me. Perhaps my actions seem a bit hypocritical since I have advocated for freedom of speech right here on this blog, and now I'm censoring comments. Here's my rationale: It's my blog, and as such I am responsible for any content - posts or comments - that this blog contains. I am not willing to assume responsibility for promoting websites with content so questionable that they have to be presented in hidden form. And yes, most of them were porn sites, but I'm not even getting into my philosophical objections to pornography as a form of exploitation and marginalization of women. This is about my responsibilities as the author of this blog. And from now on I will be paying much closer attention to better fulfil those responsibilities.

AuntieM

Two Broke College Students

I never imagined the above phrase would describe Hubby and myself, but there it is: we're both in school, money is tight, but we're both pursuing dreams and the air here in AuntieM-land is filled with hope. And debt. But in the grand scheme of things it will be well worth the investment.

How often do you invest in yourself? That's what education is, an investment in yourself, a financial expression of your belief in yourself (or someone else) and your (their) ability to create a better, happier, more secure future centered on passion instead of obligation.

Hubby is enrolled in school. He found a program he really likes, an Associate of Applied Sciences program in Automotive Service Technology through a local community college. He is now working on his general education electives while he is wait-listed to go into the hands-on portion of the program. Things should time out well, he should finish his general ed electives just in time to begin the hands-on portion no later than January 2011. Right now he's learning to cope with online classes (his choice) and to juggle the demands of being a student again. In order to understand the magnitude of this shift, you need to know that the last time Hubby too a class was as a high-school student in 1969. Yes. Wow. I'm so proud of him for making this gigantic leap of faith and boldly entering an alien environment in search of his passion!

Summer session is in full swing for me as well. I am taking two classes, but let me tell you - two graduate-level summer classes are as much work as 4 undergrad summer classes! And this I know from experience as that was the load I typically took in the summer as an undergrad. The extraordinarily good news: this will be my last summer session, unless my plans change drastically and I decide to Pile it Higher and Deeper, or worse yet, go to law school. Either option would be enjoyable, but I'm at the point where the fun of school needs to yield to the reality of needing to take my pricey education out into the working world and get a job with a salary commensurate to my education and experience. Such a job would be difficult to combine with student status. However I'm not ruling out additional studies at some point, going to school is just too darn much fun! I'm hoping that my upcoming teaching gig will fill some of that desire and let me still have fun in the educational arena but get paid for it instead of paying for the privilege.

Yes, graduation is once again looming, Spring 2011 is my goal to complete my Master of Public Administration program, and for all of my desires to keep things low-key when I finished my undergrad, this time I want to have a total blowout celebration! Hubby and I will each have a significant event to celebrate next May, because within a few days of my graduation he will have a milestone birthday, so we're talking about having a Gigantic Combined Woo-Hoo celebration for both of us and inviting family and friends from all over the country. Not sure exactly what the celebration will consist of - probably attend my commencement and then throw a huge cookout/barbecue/pig-pickin'. In the past I have downplayed my accomplishments and not wanted much done in the way of celebrating them, but this time is different: I'm doing something huge and I want a great big party, damnit!!!

Feline family members are doing well too. GirlCat is happily napping upstairs, probably curled up in a drawer. A long time ago she figured out how to open drawers and make room for a nap by dragging clothing out and leaving it all over the floor. This got old for a while because we kept finding clothes strewn all over the place but we finally reached a compromise: we let her use one drawer for a nap, and she doesn't mess with other drawers. Guess she has us well-trained. The little Snowshoe kitten we adopted last year has grown into a fine cat. Gotta figure out a pseudonym for him but can't use BoyCat, still too painful - there will never be another BoyCat. At any rate, SnowshoeBoy is a talkative bundle of energy who makes us laugh all day with his antics, some of which I keep meaning to film and post on YouTube. He's that funny.

Guess I've procrastinated long enough, time to go write a paper, but this has been a good warm-up to get my creative energy flowing.

Peace and good grades,

AuntieM

Hanging in there

Hi all,

Life continues to be interesting, in the way of the proverbial Chinese curse "may you live in interesting times", although somehow it still feels like there are blessings to be found within the curses too. Hubby is job-hunting as I write this, he is working to master the intricacies of online job search sites. They can be great tools once you learn how to use them, but it takes much patience to get all the way up the learning curve.

He is enthusiastic about finding a source of job training, and has been actively pursuing training in the auto repair field. If anyone has suggestions about good programs in the Denver/Boulder area of Colorado I sure would like to hear about them. We found some promising certificate programs available at community colleges, one in particular he really likes. I am much more willing to trust in the quality of eduction from a state-supported community college than I am a private training school like the ones that advertise on late-night TV. Those are simply scary, no guarantee at all that you will come away with anything other than a mountain of debt! He is also working his way through the unemployment system and finding out what services are available to him. So far it seems to have been a positive experience for him, although he says he'll be glad when he either gets a job or gets into some classes, because he's tired of hanging around the house all day.

I, on the other hand, have been so busy I hardly know my own name. Good thing I write this under a nom de plume! Three graduate school classes and working 3/4 time make for a tremendous load. On top of that I've been trying really hard to take care of myself, which includes visiting the gym twice a week for a rigorous workout. This is something I really need to do, both to preserve the weight loss I achieved over the last five months (26 pounds lost, yay for Weight Watchers!) and to keep my stress level in check because these workouts have become critical for my mental health. I feel that I'm asking so much of myself right now that in order to maintain this level of performance I've got to prioritize taking care of myself in some fashion. Five more weeks of this crazy semester, I can keep going, I know I can... It will be sooooooooo nice to carry a lighter class load after this semester and summer session are past.

Too tired to get on much of a rant today, and way too behind on my studies to devote much time or energy to it either. Suffice it to say that there are a lot of things in this world going wrong - human rights abuses, environmental damage, endless political wrangling from the sour-grapes right wing which during the midterm elections will then try to claim that Obama has accomplished nothing - but I laughed myself breathless when I saw a commercial last night about a brand of toilet paper that will always unroll over the roll, ending the "great over or under debate" forever. This is almost symbolic of our society, and certainly indicative of the direction in which we are heading - right down the toilet - unless we WAKE UP, PEOPLE!!!!!!!! Or are we one of the last generations of a great but dying society? In its dying days Rome had bread and circuses; will our equivalent be the McDonald's dollar menu and reality TV? Is this how America will be remembered a few centuries from now, as a society that grew so entrenched in its comforts that it could not be bothered to recognize the warning signs leading to its own demise? Nero fiddled while Rome burned; I suppose we as a people will just watch American Idol instead, being passively entertained and anesthetized into oblivion.

Cheery thoughts. I told you I was tired, and when I'm tired I get really negative, but there it is for the world to see. Now that it's out there, what can we do about it? That's a question each and every one of us must face and must answer to our own satisfaction, if we can create the mental headspace between video games, celebrity scandals, and "Survivor". Sigh. I'm about to commit an act which has become revolutionary in our society and may ultimately be considered deviant: I'm going to go read a book. I urge you to do the same.

Peace,
AuntieM

Updates from AuntieM-land

Hi all,

I wanted to follow up on a couple of things. First, regarding my pledge to spend more time blogging on behalf of Organizing for America, that fell through pretty quickly when I found out that they only wanted people to do certain things like phone banking. Sorry folks, I still believe in your cause and support your efforts, but I just don't have time for anything else. I could have fit blogging on their behalf fit into my schedule because I enjoy writing this blog and can do it from home at my convenience, but I can't carve out a block of time to go somewhere and volunteer right now.

There was a big change in AuntieM-land this week when Hubby was laid off from his job Tuesday, with no warning whatsoever, and of course no severance package. It's a tough adjustment, one that far too many people have been forced to make. A couple of days ago Hubby went out to get the mail, bumped into a neighbor and told him about the layoff. The neighbor's response was "join the club" - he was laid off last fall and still hasn't found work. While I have no doubt that Hubby will do whatever he can to find a job, there just aren't that many jobs out there right now so it's a tough market. Hubby is interested in using this opportunity to make a career change by getting some training (funded by unemployment - yay!) in a new field. He's considering auto mechanics or solar technology like building/installing solar panels. I'm really proud of him for seeking out the opportunities hidden within the challenges.

I was also very happy when he said he was ready to leave the gaming industry, that it was fun for a while but had gotten old. He's definitely mourning the loss of his job and the connections to people, both colleagues and favorite customers, but he's working through it and starting to map out his next steps. He's filed for unemployment, and in the coming week is going to visit the unemployment office to find out what sort of training/education assistance he would be eligible to receive. He's also updated his resume and has established a facebook page, which was a tremendous step for him. He had the nicest call yesterday from one of the shift managers at his old casino, just checking in as a friend to see that he was doing all right. He's a real class act and an all-around good guy. This call brought some of the emotional impact of the layoff to the surface, and that was a good thing because once it's out in the open it can be acknowledged and dealt with, instead of remaining buried.

I'm delighted that Hubby wants to leave the gaming industry and look for a job closer to home. When I was working in gaming as well I was cavalier about the risks - driving up an icy canyon in a snowstorm so a bunch of idiots could play cards was just part of the deal - but since I've been out I've worried each time he set out on a day like that. It will be a relief for him not to do that anymore. I've also become much more aware of the need for a job that provides fulfullment, not just income, and I hope Hubby finds something that is personally fulfilling, rewarding, and enjoyable - the whole "do what you love and the money will follow" concept.

In all of that happening last week my studies kind of fell by the wayside. I tried to study but couldn't focus on one single thing for longer than about 12 seconds. So now I'm playing catch up and hoping my grades don't suffer too much as a result. Next week is spring break, so I've got a bit of time to catch my breath and get caught up without new assignments being piled on. As far as continuing my studies, I figured out that we'll be better off financially if I stay in school and complete my degree, which will allow me to keep my student loans deferred and keep receiving the student loan overages that have helped us out so far. At least that's one area of my life that isn't getting massively changed as a result, there's some comfort to be found there.

So, yes, life threw us a curve ball this week, but you know what? It seems to me that struggle has been the norm over most of human history, and the prosperity and comfort the American culture of capitalism and consumption preaches as our due is really just a brief interlude. Maybe this is the the takehome lesson for America as a society: time to stop expecting things to come to you just because you think you deserve them, start working toward goals again, and accept setbacks as part of the process of moving forward. Life doesn't hand you a ribbon just for showing up, contrary to the culture in which many of today's young adults grew up. I'm still working on fleshing out these thoughts, because I think there is much more beneath the surface. What I know right now is, sometimes the obstacles placed in your way are not negatives, they are there to help guide you to a different path, the one that is right for you. Creating opportunity from challenge, that's what it's all about.

Peace,
AuntieM

Oh Canada!

I just watched the wonderful gold medal hockey game between the US and Canada, and I couldn't resist commenting on how poetically beautiful the outcome was! The victory by Canada, in this dream matchup of teams, winning gold on their home ice and closing out the 2010 Winter Olympics was the perfect result. Even though theoretically I should be bummed since the US lost, I can't see any losers in this situation. I went through several tissues between the overtime sudden-death score by Team Canada and the conclusion of the Canadian national anthem, simply because I was so touched by the symmetry and meaning of it all. I'm sure the joy and pride of Canadian citizens right now is immeasurable, first because they have done a fantastic job of hosting the world in their country, and because hockey is such a big thing for Canadians.

Way to go Team Canada!!!

There's something about the Olympics that touches a soft spot in my heart, because it is an opportunity for nations to put aside their differences, to build relationships and friendships on the foundation of sport, to put nationalism aside in favor of sportsmanship. To me the Olympics are a peacemaking activity, and my only wish is that the spirit the Olympics engenders may last beyond the extinguishing of the Olympic flame.

The only negative note is the NHL's proclaimation that its players will not be allowed to compete in the 2014 Winter Games in Russia, due to the disruption the Olympics presents to the NHL's schedule. I think that if the NHL carries out this threat, hockey fans should boycott all NHL games held during the 2014 Winter Olympics. Can these shortsighted fools not see that exposing NHL players and hockey in general on the world stage will help bring more fans into the game, increasing TV ratings and ticket sales? They're too focused on the loss of immediate revenue to see the long-term potential, and to recognize the opportunity cost of grabbing for today's dollars while throwing tomorrow's dollars out the window. Come on NHL, where's your spirit? Why deprive your players of the chance to represent their countries, something that a fair number of them have undoubtedly dreamt about since childhood? That's just mean.

Peace (and anticipation of the 2012 Summer Games in London),

AuntieM

Proof we're on the right path, even though we still have a ways to go

Hi all,

Sometimes a picture (or in this case a chart) is worth a thousand words. That is why I am replicating the e-mail below from Obama for America. Hopefully they won't mind since I'm hopefully helping their message reach a wider audience.

"Wondering what the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act -- President Obama's stimulus bill -- has accomplished? Look at this:

One year ago tomorrow, after tens of thousands of you shared stories and called your representatives, the President signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.And while this anniversary isn't a cause for celebration, there is reason to be optimistic. This chart makes it clear: We're on the road to recovery.Still, we know there is a long way to go. Many Americans are still struggling, and creating jobs remains President Obama's top priority.Click here to learn more about the President's record on the economy, what we're doing to put more Americans back to work, and get easy-to-share information you can pass on to friends and family:http://www.blogger.com/ Thanks for making change happen."

I don't know about you but I'm really tired of hearing Republicans complaining about the perceived lack of progress, particularly when obstructionist Republicans in Congress have been responsible for throwing sand into the machinery of reform at every opportunity. The chart above shows just hwo deeply we as a country were in the weeds by the end of the Bush II administration, and how much progress has been made to reverse job losses since Obama took office. I'm sharing this because it's hard to dispute factual evidence, and this is proof that under Obama's guidance our economy has started to turn around. Yes, lots of people are still out of work and I certainly feel for them and wish something could be done about this overnight, but it took us years to get into this mess and it's going to take us a while to dig ourselves out. But now at least we're on the right path, and we've got to stick with it.

Peace,

AuntieM

Blogging to fulfill a pledge

Hi all,

I don't know if you've heard about this (probably not unless you're already on board with Organzing for Obama) but they're running a campaign to mobilize volunteers to help spread the word, i.e. truth, about the reforms proposed by the Obama administration and to help combat Republican scare tactics and outright lies about what reform will do. After about 12 seconds of consideration I agreed to pledge time each week to this cause, partially because you can choose your own activity and decide where you can make the most difference. My activity to fulfill that pledge is this blog, which I really want to resurrect despite all my other commitments. I hope that enough people read this and pass it along to their networks for it to make a difference, because the midterm elections are going to be a referendum on the Obama administration's entire plan to turn this country around, and we can't afford for the Republican naysayers who want to maintain the failed status quo of the past to come out on top.

Hope you will check into this opportunity to make a difference and will join me and about a million other people in working to give Obama's reform strategy a fighting chance.

Thanks for reading.

Peace,
AuntieM

I forgot, what's a blog again?

Holy cow, I didn't realize it's been nearly a YEAR since I posted! I'm afraid that life has been way too crazy for me to keep up with everything, and unfortunately this blog fell by the wayside. Never fear though, I'm still out there working to create change, just haven't been able to write about it for a long while.

In the past year, I've finished my Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and begun working on a Masters of Public Administration with an emphasis in Nonprofit Management. That alone has really kepy me off the streets. I'm also working more hours at my nonprofit, and trying to have some sort of a life with Hubby and friends. The second job I referenced in one of my last posts didn't go on for long, only about 3 months, until I was able to get more hours at my nonprofit. It was an interesting and educational experience, I have to say, but I'm glad I didn't have to stay there for an extended time. It got us through a tight financial spot though, so it served its purpose.

We have a new feline family member too, LittleOne. He's a Snowshoe, which is a mix of American Tabby and Standard Siamese. It's a recognized breed except by Cat Fancier's Association - come on CFA, get with the game! Never fear though, we adopted him from a shelter, we didn't buy him from a breeder. He's a bright-eyed, inquisitive, and very energetic little boy who likes to climb any vertical surface he can, including walls on occasion.

I also have an opportunity on the horizon which has me quite excited: this fall I will be adjunct faculty at the community college I once attended, teaching Sociology! This is one of the things i wanted to do with my life, and to have this opportunity present itself, especially at the school where I got my start, is an amazing gift. I feel that I benefitted tremendously from the assistance provided by this school, and this is an opportunity for me to pay some of that forward and hopefully help other students navigate their paths.

Okay, on to the main event: Did you watch the State of the Union address? I did, and was glued to it for its entirety. I've been a bit disconnected from politics lately because I've been so wrapped up in what's going on in my own life, and it was good to open my eyes and look around, even though I knew I wouldn't like a lot of what I saw, particularly after the appalling Republican victory in Massachusets. I thought Obama did a masterful job of calling out the obstructionist Republicans - there's no way they can claim to want bipartisanship when their standard tactic is to automatically oppose every new initiative presented by the Obama administration.

To the Republican politicians who have fought tooth and nail against health care reform: Why do you not want your constituents to have what you have, namely decent health coverage provided by the Federal government? Do you somehow think they don't deserve it, or that you're better than them? How can you, with any degree of conscience, ask your constituents to vote for you while denying them access to a basic need that you yourself are fortunate enough to have, courtesy of their tax dollars?

I did get quite excited when Obama talked about forgiving all student loans for those students who spend 10 years in public service - OMG, huge woohoo if that goes through!!! Hubby and I regularly discuss my mounting student loan debt and he has begun to express concerns over his upcoming retirement in light of that debt. Personally I had already resigned myself to paying student loans until the day I die, but if Obama's proposal goes through, then this could be an incredibly positive change that would go a long way toward helping us provide a stable and secure retirement for ourselves.

Obama is right though - it's not fair for people to amass massive loans so they can go into fields serving others, and then have to struggle to pay off those loans because the pay in public service-type jobs is traditionally lower than in other sectors. My nonprofit hosts interns from numerous universities, including some from the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work, and I frequently hear about their tuition bills and debt loads. It's sad to think that these students are borrowing more to pay for one year of their education than I will have borrowed for my entire collegiate course of study, bachelors and masters combined. These hard-working students are paying $40K a year in tuition, and then frequently have to borrow more on top of that to cover living expenses because the internship requirements of their program make it not very feasible to hold down a paying job while in school. That all might be reasonable if they could look forward to six-figure salaries upon graduation, but entry-level jobs for MSW's tend to pay in the mid-$30's, at least around here. I have a lot of respect for these students because they go into this field with eyes open, knowing they won't ever be wealthy in monetary terms but eager and dedicated to helping others nonetheless.

All right, this turned into a long ramble when I originally just intended it to be a short note. At any rate, Auntie M is alive and well! My own course of study for my MPA is taking me on a fascinating intellectual journey, and is also opening doors at my own nonprofit because each course (and sometimes each chapter) clarifies and explains more about how my organization functions. This semester I'm taking Organizational Management and Change, Economics and Financial Management, and Information and Analysis Methods. Yes, the course titles sound dry, but I assure you they are actually quite riveting, and I am having the time of my life!

I have decided there is one more skillset I wish to acquire after my MPA, and that's accounting: I want to get my CPA. I am finding that I have tremendous interest in the financial side of nonprofits, I can't seem to get enough of the finance and economics classes, so this seems to be a natural addition. I broke this news to Hubby, who had long since declared that I need to be done with school after my MPA (and at the time I agreed), and his reaction (surprisingly) was "makes sense, go for it." It certainly helped that when I proposed this additional step it was with the caveat that I will take that one course at a time and pay for it as I go, no more student loan debt! (Even if it may be forgiven, no need to push it.)

Peace,
AuntieM