Soap box moment
I just read a forward I got (from who is unimportant) that was an "inspiring" story of a little girl who defeated the odds against survival to grow up and live a "normal" life (that is, one in which she was not blind, not "afflicted" with cerebal palsy or some other (to quote the forward) "catastrophic" or "devastating" condition. Not surprisingly, the forward also indicated that this was god's miracle to bless this child with a "normal" life.
While I understand the intent of this email was positive (to be "inspiring"), this is far more insidious and dangerous than overt discriminatory policy, BECAUSE it is cloaked as being positive. The language (normal, devastating, catastrophic, inspiring, strength, courage, etc)and the sentiment behind it all imply that being unable to see, unable to walk, unable to walk, etc. means that a person's life is instantly less satisfying, less livable. I believe the exact line from the forward was that the girl grew up to be "all that a little girl could be", BECAUSE she avoided these HORRIBLE things.
And now, in my frustration, I am venting in a way that is pissing me off too. I can't express exactly how this bothers me without sounding cliche or self-righteous. Working in the program I am now in, I've struggled with this a lot. I have developed very strong opinions, which I'm not sure how to express. I'm not sure what level of action I can take. I know that protesting forwards like this doesn't do much, other than make people thing I'm just a cynic who can't be "inspired". Still, not saying anything makes me feel like what I'm doing is pointless. So, I speak and get frustrated with my inability to articulate myself adequately.
I find that the conversations that occur in my classes remain on the surface. A professor points out the dangers of the "inspiring" label, and the classes nods and understands, but never goes any further (to use just one example). I'm not even sure what questions I am trying to ask, or in what direction I'm trying to take this. In theory, that should be what classes are for. In reality, this is a practical program. Once again, the divide between the practical and theoretical makes me want to throw someone.
Any suggestions? Comments? Points of contention? Anything??
Shorty 1
Guess Which MovieOkay, in round 1, I only got 40%. Not great. However, I have yet to attempt more rounds. Thanks to Tiffanie for the link!
Good Night, and SHUT THE HELL UP!
Tonight, LHPJ and I went and saw "Good Night, and Good Luck". We enjoyed the film itself very much. However, there was a middle-aged couple sitting across the aisle and one row back from us that WOULD NOT STOP TALKING throughout the entire film. Mostly, it was one woman. She kept laughing at really inappropriate times and talking about EVERYTHING. Seriously - it was CONSTANT. LHPJ shooshed them. I even got up and got an usher because it was so distracting. Of course, the usher comes in and stands in the back of the theater to observe during the five minutes when the woman actually SHUT UP. Naturally.
Anyway, people in movie theaters who act like that just baffle me. I just don't get it.
Christmas all month long
While I am disappointed to not be going back to Chicago to spend Christmas with my family, I'm beginning to realize all of the benefits of staying here.
First, I actually GET A REAL BREAK. I am working today (now) and Thursday of this week. I'm also working Thursday of next week. Other than that, I have the next week and a half OFF WORK, with NO TRAVEL PLANS!!! This makes me VERY excited. The past 3 years (plus), almost all of my time off has been used for going back to Chicago for family events. There has been the occasional trip (mostly for work), and the one vacation to London (though that also involved family). Still, this is the first time in our 4.5 years living together (that I can recall) that LHPJ and I have a significant amount of time off together and WE HAVE NOWHERE TO GO. (Okay, I know I'm abusing the all-caps here - no need to comment).
Another bonus - we started receiving Christmas gifts last week. I am now the proud owner of Fraggle Rock, Season 1 and Family Guy, Vol. 4. WOO HOO! We also FINALLY have Pulp Fiction on DVD (I am ashamed at how long it took). And the gift receiving (and giving) will continue through mid-January, when I go back to Chicago to have belated-Christmas with most of my family.
Month-long Christmas is sort of nice.
Tonight is the Christmas party for my school department. Free food, free booze...of course we're going!
Now if only it would stop being SO FREAKIN' COLD so that we could play outside with the dogs, I would be happy. Snow would be nice. Snow with a still 30 degrees (NO WIND) would be perfectly acceptable. No snow and 40 would be even better. Last year's NYE party was spent mostly on the porch, so this isn't just a dream folks.
Anyway, I have now finished consuming by banana-lunch and have decided that banana-lunch is not going to last me until this evening's Christmas party. So, I must go find more food.
Things I just can't say
Over the course of the semester, I have collected a WEALTH of stories that would make for EXCELLENT blogging material. However, it's almost exclusively about people in my MSc program. While I would not, of course, name names, if ANYONE from the program read this (which is not likely, but possible), they would know EXACTLY who I was talking about. Despite my wanderings into the realms of the bitchy, I still fear hurting someone's feelings were he likely (really, it's almost ALWAYS a he, though there are a variety of different "he's") to read this or hear about it from someone else.
Still, I offer you a couple of short, safe examples:
A fellow student said TO THE PROFESSOR'S face (and in front of me)that he had rewritten the papers of two other students in the class for them.
A fellow student said to me during an in-class discussion (in which he argued that discrimination against women no longer occurs in this country): "You're only 20 years old - what do you know?" Ah yes, being demoted back to undergrad and pre-legal drinking age. What fun.
Said student also chose to mention that the JaggerBush is the "best president ever".
Said student also praised the wonderful teachings of Dr. Phil McGraw. I just about choked. Yes, this IS a REAL counseling program...
The first fellow student told me I couldn't drive a van safely in the snow because I was a woman. Too bad the second student wasn't around to hear that one.
Ah - those are the highlights.
Now, I must get back to work.
Snow face
Snow face
Originally uploaded by sbjuengst.Moments like these make me forget the many times she has lept up and bit my pants and/or leg. :)
Today was Sadie's first REAL snow day and she LOVED it. She ran around like a mad-dog (not to be confused with Greg Maddux of the Cubs) on MANY occasions today.
Someone, burrowing in the snow seems to amuse her. She also likes to bite the branches of our bush-like entities in the backyard (they're more like bushes than trees, but they're also sort of tree-like), which results in all the snow on top of the tree-like-bushes landing on top of her. This doesn't seem to bother her.
Anyway, I am working on a paper now (last paper of the semester) and just needed a little break. More pics soon!
Anyone still wondering...
So, if you haven't made up your mind about the judgement of most Americans, I give you this:
Mariah Carey nominated for MULTIPLE grammy awards.
First The JaggerBush, now this. It is a dark day.
So....cold
This morning when I took the dog out, it was 3 degrees outside. 3!! Yeah, not a happy temperature.
Today, I finally go back to work (old job).
Dogs are keeping me busy, work is keeping me busy, and it's the final week of school too (exams next week and papers due). After that, I get a break.
I'm staying in Pittsburgh for Christmas this year. I will be flying back to Chicago for MLK day weekend instead. LHPJ and I will have our own little Christmas with the dogs.
It's before 8am, and I can barely formulate complete sentences, hence the dull nature of this post.
Here are a couple of articles to amuse you:
Unhappy changes in ChicagoSimpsons in CollegePosting will resume at a more regular pace post exams. Your business is important to us; please hold.
So cute
So cute
Originally uploaded by sbjuengst.This was a first. About two weeks ago (11/21), Sadie and Pancho shared the poof for the first time.
Now, they wrestle, chase each other around everywhere, and Pancho humps her repeatedly from many angles.
She is also about half again as big now as she is in this photo. More recent pictures to come soon (I've been using my 35mm, not the digital lately, so that has been the cause of the lack of new photos. I will take some with the digital in the next day or two).
Bad poster, bad bad poster!
Yes, I know - it's been a LONG time since I've posted. Well, today, you're going to get two. First, here is a ridiculous situation with the Boston Red Sox:
Red Sox go to court to get World Series ball from former player. Silly, silly, silly.
In other baseball news - Cubs are going for Rafael Furcal, which makes me oh so happy. I would take Juan Pierre too (there were rumors about this as well).
Stayed tuned for another Sadie picture...
