Genderless baby...I don't think so!

Good grief!  A couple were "outed" on the internet, for not wanting people to know the gender of their newest child (although their parents and of course the other sibs do know.)  People are up in arms.  How can they do that?  It's not healthy.  It's sick.  It's...inhumane? 

Personally I think it's an interesting choice!

When the gender of a child is evident (usually by the color of the clothing at the earliest stages) I do believe people react differently.    They start talking about what they'll be when they grow.  They want to buy what they consider appropriate toys/gifts!  No boy child should be without a train set; no girl child should be without a doll.  Boys wear blue; girls wear pink.  End of discussion.

Isn't this a bit of bias on the part of all of us?  We assume certain things right out of the womb.  We dictate what the child should do, right out of the womb.  We don't want them to be independent; we want them to succumb to what we all consider to be "normal" for their sex.  We even want them to think certain ways.  Boys/men protect and serve.  Girls/women nurture, and cook.  Boys go out into the world.  Girls stay home.

We're overcoming some of that mentality, as per the Equal Rights Amendment, but why not start it at birth, rather than  when we enter the job market?

I commend these parents, and after a while, everyone will know the sex of their child anyway, so who cares!  You raise yours your way, I'll raise mine my way!  If they end up to be kind, loving individuals, what more could any one ask for...at the end of Day 137?

How to get a job in this market!

To grab a few lines from the Huffpost, "don't be old", "don't be unemployed", "don't pin your hopes on college", "don't expect higher wages."  Gee, isn't that inspiring!

The first two are really, really annoying!  It's easier said that done to "get younger."  As one person told me, take the date of graduation from college, off your resume, as they can count backwards and "age" you.  Okay, did that.  Many of  the Employment Applications you fill out ask for your birth date, so they can still get you.

Don't be unemployed?  Sure...I planned on leaving involuntarily from my last position (not!)  I had planned on leaving only if I found another, better position!  My previous employer heard that and assumed I was going to quit.  Not hardly, as that was when the economy was really starting to spiral downward! 

Don't pin your hopes on higher education?  Never did!  I only had a few positions that would correlate with my degree, and the pay was miserable.  I was pleased with myself for finishing college, as that in itself was an accomplishment, but finding work in my field...never happen.  Now, there are a few jobs in that field, but I'm "too old" and my education is too out-of-date to matter! 

Higher wages?  Heck, any wages would be appreciated.  I must say I have found entry-level positions, albeit part-time, which pay as much or even more than I was making, but they're all part-time!  I do have the dreaded social security option to supplement my income, but the longer you wait, the more you get.  I should have opted for it right away, as the increase in the amount I'll draw is peanuts compared to what I'm losing by not drawing any,  and relying on unemployment and my part-time hours.

If blogging paid money, I'd be better off, but even then writer's bloc might keep me from making it happen.   More negatives than positives on Day 136!

Tornadoes vs. Grizzly Bears

Which would you rather encounter?
I had this particular discussion on Saturday, the day before the devastating tornado that hit Joplin, MO.  I was talking with an acquaintance who mentioned that she had good friends who live in Montana, in grizzly bear country.  I said I could not live where there were grizzlys, as I'd be too afraid, if I ever came across one, bear spray or not!  She said her friends actually said they would rather live with grizzlies than tornadoes!  Prophetic words to be sure!

This talk took place on Saturday, when we were all waiting (albeit nonchantly, and for sure skeptically) for the "Rapture" to begin.   I was also thinking that we had been lucky so far this spring as we had some severe weather, but no tornadoes.  The weekend had been fairly nice, the approaching storms seemed to blow over, and Saturday and Sunday were sunny, although windy.  Then Sunday afternoon, the weather took a turn for the worst!

As of this writing, there are 98 dead. in the Joplin area alone, as there were other deadly tornadoes in the Midwest on Sunday.  Makes you wonder about the odds: tornado vs. grizzly.  Tornadoes can take many more lives at a single time.  You can help yourselves, somewhat, against the ravages of a tornado.  Same applies with grizzly protection, but you have to live where they live to encounter one.

It's supposed to storm again this evening, and later this week, and since I don't have enough time to move to grizzly country, I'll just have to take my chances here, on Day 135!

Will they never learn?

Yet still ANOTHER famous person bites the marital dust when he acknowledges that he fathered a child out of wedlock, while he was married to another.  And to add insult to injury, his paramour and his wife gave birth within months  (weeks?) of each other.  You must know I'm talking about Arnold Schwarzeneggar.  Too big to fail?  He picked the right paramour though, as no one really knew for at least 10 years, and he made some successful political runs during that time.

Putting it in animalistic terms, the dominant males of lesser species  always try to impregnate the majority of females in their herds/clans.  It would seem that the human males of our society, who presume themselves to be superior individuals, also want to impregnate the females they come in contact with, whom they think are desirable.   So those human males, in all their presumed dominance, still lower themselves to animalistic values!  

Oh yeah, there's the now-defrocked president of the International Monetary Fund, who tried to rape a hotel maid while he was in New York.  Guess he thought he was too important not to spread his sperm around. 

In Arnold's case however, what's the matter with him?  Why didn't he have "safe sex?"  Did he ever think about what types of problems he might be bringing home to his wife, Maria Shriver?   This is one case of male dominance, where the woman will come out smelling like a rose, and the dominant male may become more of a pariah than he is now...

And that's how I'm hoping it will play out on Day 134!

The world is ending in 3 days...

Call it the "Rapture" or just call it "the end of the world."  It's been predicted, by people who think they can decipher hidden meanings in the bible.  Mind you the bible has been written and rewritten a few hundred (or probably more) times since it was first thought up!  But those hidden meanings remained...

If this doesn't happen, then there will be a hue and cry that they misread the word!  Or didn't decode it correctly.   And they'll pick yet another day that really is the day!  Oh yes, we have missed other end-of-life deadlines.

The world will probably cease being a hospitable place to live some day, but I really don't think it's going to be Saturday.   The more  technologically advanced we become, the more likely it is that we're going to do it to ourselves.   The way I see it, someone is going to press that button that turns the world into dust, because they can!  And because they think they're doing "God's work."

But as of today, I do think there's going to be life after Day 133!

Estate Sales

I went to an estate sale this week.  It was a person I knew of, but did not know personally.  I used to see him at the local McDonald's in the mornings, when I got my coffee.  He was a regular who sat with the other regulars and discussed who knows what.  Probably the town's latest scandals, or high school sports.  Those are usually the most interesting things happening in small towns.

As I went through the house at the sale, Iwas struck by several different things.  I felt almost like a voyeur.  I saw he was a very neat person.  He was also a bit of a clothes horse.  Had an eclectic taste in music.  Had very nice furnishings.   And a Harley freak.  I didn't even know of the Harley connection because he walked with a bit of a stiff leg, and never wore anything that would indicate that interest, you know the Harley t-shirts, leather jackets, etc.  He did have a Harley sticker on his truck, but my husband noticed that.  I never did.

When he passed, one of the other regulars at McD's asked if we knew him,  We didn't. We knew of him, but not personally.  He just mentioned that he had passed away.  Sorry, we said.   He didn't seem that old, although we thought he was retired.

It made me wonder what people would think, if they came through my house to barter and buy my leftovers, after the family went through and retrieved what they wanted, if anything at all.   Would they be impressed?  Would they get a different picture of me?  Would they admire my life, or would they reaffirm I was the odd person they always assumed?  Would they like my "stuff" or would they walk away empty handed.   Would anyone buy something to remember me?  Or would they just be buying it for resale at a flea market or antique store?

Although I did not know him, I do know his memory will be with me long after Day 132!

Bristol Palin, Paris Hilton, Nene Leakes...commonality?

Yes, what do they have in common?  The only true common denominator that I could cite, is that they'e all famous for no good reason.  Their personal accomplishments add up to about... nothing!

Bristol Palin is famous because she was the daughter of a Vice-presidential wannabe, who espoused family values, all the while her daughter was having unprotected sex, and got pregnant out of wedlock.  Now there's a stunning endorsement!

Paris Hilton is famous because, well, she bears the Hilton name!  So being of such regal bearing, she then made a sex tape, with her "boyfriend", and he then put it on the internet.  Did she think he was going to be all that loyal to her, because she came from money?  Obviously not!

Nene Leakes, I'm assuming, just happened to be at the right place at the right time.  I guess she's one of the "stars" of a reality TV show (of which I have not seen.)  This alone was enough to get her on the Celebrity Apprentice!  Then she squared off with a real live, lawyer in the form of Star Jones, who is a much more classy person.  Nene swore like a sailor, and acted like a street thug.  Probably good for ratings, but did she really think she's of the quality of Trump's minions? 

All three are probably nice, decent people, in their own way, but does that make them worth the money being spent on them in the form of TV shows, product endorsements, magazine covers?  I think not!  When they start doing work like the Dali Lama, or Mother Theresa, or even Bill Gates, then, and only then, would I care to hear about them.  Until that time, I'll turn the other way, or turn the page, or just ignore the blurb on the internet, about their latest escapades.

Enjoying my anonymity on Day 131!

One down, but there's more to go...

Osama Bin Laden is not among the living terrorists any more.  But there are so many more.  And the worst news, I think, is that the next "big guy" or "man in charge" is supposedly a guy who was born and raised in the United States.  When I think of what a great country the U.S. is, even with the problems we have, and the fact that there are people dying to get in here, yet...  Someone who had it all, wants to get rid of it all (i.e. the U.S.)  I do not understand that mentality.

On another note, of course the media wants every single detail of how the whole mission "went down."  And, since there were some discrepancies between the first information, and subsequent information, they wonder what's being "held out."  Does anyone ever stop to think that all the frenzy might be stirring the rumor mill?  The people on the scene know what happened.  As they tell, it, and it gets retold and retold, the facts get distorted, just like any gossip.  Let's just be glad the deed has been done.

On a final note, I had heard that the media (or some of them at least) want to know who or which particular Seals were involved and who got in the "shot heard round the world," so to speak.  If you ask me, that should be strictly confidential information.  It reminds me of when Valerie Plame was "outed" as a CIA operative.  You might as well put a bullseye on their backs when you do this sort of thing!  Especially the person(s) responsible for Bin Laden.  So leave them alone!

And let's just leave it at that on... Day 130!