Just Another Thought Online

Falling Off the Edge of the Earth

2012-06-08T23:57:00.000-07:00

I bet you all thought I disappeared! Well, I got a little busy. I've been doing so much for the past ten months even I think I'm nuts. I finished my undergrad and I'm preparing for grad school starting this August. I've started an academic coaching service called GreA+ Solutions. So busy, busy, busy.

I've also started two new blogs, both of which you can reach through the GreA+ Solutions website called "100 Ways To Fail All Your Classes" and "GreA+ Site of the Month." Both are related to my business.

Next post for JATO will be up soon...for those of you still following (you are awesome because I would have given up on me by now!) I will return to my allegedly humorous posts!

You're Not Special, You're Just An @$$hole!

2011-08-21T23:41:00.000-07:00

The following is a sequence of events that happened only in my head:

Mr. Silver Lexus Jerk pulls up behind my vehicle while waiting in line at the carwash. He leans on the horn. I motion that I am waiting in line and therefore am stuck in current spot. He immediately gets out of his car and marches up to my window. After knocking I lower my window to address his concerns. After being yelled at for just a moment I roll my window back up, turn off the car, exit the car and lock the door. I proceed to the gas station area telling him to go F#*$ himself with some hand gestures. I watch him blow a gasket and smile because he is a douche and deserves to be put in his place.

The following is what really happened:

Mr. Silver Lexus Jerk pulls up behind my vehicle while waiting in line at the carwash. He leans on the horn. I motion that I am waiting in line and therefore am stuck in current spot. He immediately gets out of his car and marches up to my window. After knocking I lower my window to address his concerns. After being yelled at for just a moment I roll my window back up, pull the vehicle up as close as possible to the car in front of me, and mentally cuss at the douche alone in the comfort of my work vehicle. I curse the fact that I am wearing my work uniform with a name tag and that I’m driving the company vehicle that has the name all over it.

99 Cent Store Checkout Counter

2011-08-18T21:54:00.000-07:00

Things I saw next to each other at the checkout at the 99 Cent Store today:

Chocolate conversation hearts
Condoms
Pregnancy test (especially after buying the clearly faulty condoms)
Anti-diarrhea pills

Looks like someone who stocks the counter has a great sense of humor, or some unfortunate life experiences.

Learn From My Mistakes

2011-08-14T12:00:00.008-07:00

This is a re-post from my other blog The College Wallet: I thought this story was important to share with others. This story isn't just about paying for college, but is also about resilience and holding your head high in the face of adversity.

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. - Confucius

I’m not afraid or ashamed to admit that over my lifetime I have struggled with depression. I know what it is like to consider suicide, to never leave my bed, and to think that all is lost. I also know what it is like to make it through recovery and understand that I am a survivor that has overcome the depths of depression not once, but twice. I have suffered many consequences due to my behavior during my depressive episodes some of the most aggravating at this point in time is what has happened to me academically and financially.

My second major depressive episode was more devastating when it came to long term consequences. I did nothing for a year and a half. Doing nothing meant I never left my bed, I slept all day, I didn’t keep up on my hygiene, I lost all three jobs that I had been working, and my relationship with my fiancé was under tremendous strain. Because I did nothing I either failed or withdrew from all but two classes in three semesters. Not only did my G.P.A. fall to a 2.41 (from a respectable 3.33), but I also set up the foundation for the most aggravating experiences of my college career.

There is a law called The Higher Education Act of 1965 (which was reauthorized in 2009) that negatively affects students who have gone through circumstances like mine. The problem is that this law doesn’t just affect students like me (those who have dealt with a death in the family, medical problems, mental illness, etc.) it also affects students who weren’t ready for college in the first place (such as students who struggle to pass coursework), and students that simply don’t take school seriously. Those with legitimate problems are lumped in with those who don’t really care about completing school, or who should not be in a higher institution yet.

The section 484(c) of The Higher Education Act specifies that all higher education institutions must establish a procedure to measure satisfactory academic progress. This progress is tied to a student’s ability to receive federal student aid. The problem is that each institution gets to determine what that process and procedure is, as well as the criteria of what constitutes as progress (with the exception that the student must maintain at least a C average or the grades required to be able to graduate). What does this mean? This means that there is a mishmash of policy across the nation. This also means that illogical and irresponsible policies have been concocted.

For instance the academic institution I attend regards withdrawals, medical withdrawals, retaking a course, and failing a course as all failures when calculating the percentage of courses a student fails. So if you have taken a total of 60 credits, but had at one point got severely ill one semester and had to take a medical withdrawal of all classes (15 credits) and the following semester you retook those same 15 credits (the exact same classes) you would be deemed as failing to meet satisfactory academic progress because your pass/fail rate would be 50% if your school decided that the minimum pass rate must be 67%. This is despite the fact that you never failed a single course, were never put on academic probation, and you are on track to graduate (albeit one semester later).

It is also possible to fail to meet satisfactory academic progress by taking too many credits. According to the Higher Education Act too many credits would be defined as 150% of the published length of the undergraduate program; at my institution that is 180 credits. Because of my depressive episode I am over the maximum credit hours, but if you exclude the 45 credit hours during my depressive episode that are counted as attempts then I would be under that maximum.

What happens is if you don’t meet satisfactory academic progress you are first given a warning (presumably to get your butt back into gear), then suspension, and finally termination (you will not receive any federal financial aid money for the rest of the time you are seeking your degree).

There are procedures to appeal financial aid suspension and termination and your financial aid can be reinstated if the institution decides that you were under “extenuating circumstances beyond your control.” According to section 484(c), generally these circumstances would be a “death in the family of the student, illness or injury, and special circumstances as determined by the academic institution.”

I had already been through the appeal process for suspension last spring and was granted my financial aid; I then had to go through the termination appeal for this fall. On Saturday, August 13th I received a letter that said my appeal was denied.

My university is very careful to repeatedly mention that a denial of financial aid does not prohibit me from attending this university or completing my degree. The moronic thing is that if the financial aid were not necessary for me to attend this university I wouldn't bother with these appeals in the first place. The very real fact is if you can't pay for college you don't get to go. I will be able to finish this semester, but I will probably end up owing money at the end which will prevent me from registering for my final 10 credits next spring. Until I can come up with the money for this semester and my last semester I will have to leave school so I can save up the money (since no grants, loans, or work-study will be given).

Getting back to my personal story; after my third semester of failures and withdrawals I was unable to make tuition payments (because at that time my financial aid didn’t even cover the full cost of tuition). I left school partly because I was unable to continue financially and partly because I needed to get my life back together. After a three year break I returned to school in the spring of 2010 and earned a semester G.P.A. of 4.08 (I was on the dean’s list). Since my return I have completed the equivalent of 2 ½ years of coursework in 1 ½ years all B and above (with the exception of two C’s in some very difficult courses [one of which had a 60% failure rate]). I improved my G.P.A. to a 2.79 (my request for a retroactive medical withdrawal was rejected due to a college policy that states no medical withdrawals will be granted beyond two years of the affected semesters). I have participated in clubs and organizations and even started a new academic club at the university. This is all while working full-time at one job and part-time at another job. Not to toot my own horn, but I would say if anyone deserves a another chance I do.

I could be devastated by the news of a denial for my initial appeal, but I still have hope. My university does have an appeal process for this recent decision. On Monday I will surely be at my university waiting in line at financial aid stating my case as to why I should get an appeal on this poor decision. I am hoping that this second appeal will go in my favor because it will be my last. I only have two semesters left including this one (22 total credits until graduation). I don’t want to have to drop out again, but I may be forced to.

I will keep you all posted on what happens, but regardless of the decisions made I will continue on with this blog and helping others avoid the kinds of mistakes I made and also to help you learn how you can improve your situations.

The most important thing to remember about trying situations like mine is that the important thing is not when you finish school, but that you finish school. Never let your circumstances determine your destiny!

There are many ways to pay for school...

Great Truths I Learned from Indiana Jones

2011-08-10T23:13:00.000-07:00

I spent way too much time as a kid pretending and wanting to be Indiana Jones. As I somersaulted around my living room dodging angry natives and giant rolling boulders I learned a few things. Dah-da-da-dah dah-da-dah dah-da-da-dah dah-da-da-dah-dah-dah (You know the tune!)

1. “Choose wisely.”…this applies to the Holy Grail and to romantic partners. Unfortunately Indy wasn’t so great at picking the right lady.

2. The pen is mightier than the sword…and so is a gun. While Jones Senior was able to defeat a Nazi attacker with his pen, Indiana knew that when under attack by a master swordsman who clearly had more skills than he did the best strategy is the simplest…shoot him. In other words don’t mince words.

3. “X marks the spot.” Sometimes looking intently for hidden clues can obscure the obvious ones.

4. Don’t forget your hat. You never know when you’ll be in hot sunny weather, or when you need to blend in with the bad guys. Either way a hat is a necessity.

5. Roll with the punches; and the giant rolling balls.

6. “I don’t like snakes!” Be able to face your fears no matter how much they creep you out.

7. “Indiana was the dog.” Don’t be afraid to reinvent yourself, even if it means steeling your dog’s name.

8. “It belongs in a museum!” Know when something is precious and protect it as best you can.

9. Recognized that versatility is important…a whip can be a rope or a weapon depending on need.

10. Don’t go on adventures alone. A good friend will save your hide more than a few times and make the experience more enjoyable.

Why I, An Agnostic, Read The Bible

2011-08-08T23:36:00.000-07:00

For an Agnostic I sure have a lot of Bibles. I have an Oxford Study Bible, an NLT Bible someone gave Tim, and The Bible App on my phone. I don’t just have Bibles, I also read them. This may sound weird for someone who is not Christian but let me explain.

First of all the Bible can be entertaining. There are lots of stories to suit different moods. Stories about intrigue, war, lust, greed (hey this sounds a little like a soap opera). There is even a section which is erotic (not that I read the Song of Solomon much). The Bible also addresses problem solving skills such as how King Solomon decided to cut a baby in two to figure out who the real mother was (still sounds like a soap opera). Why do you think they made so many movies out of these stories (many of which seem to star Charlton Heston).

Also when I come across trolls in real life who claim to be Christian, but are really asinine bigots, I like to be able to beat them with their own biblical throw-downs. Oh you’re really going to quote Leviticus when trying to justify why gays don’t deserve basic civil rights, well let me tell you what else is in there you choose to ignore. (Sadly many Christians seem to only follow what they like…religion is not a buffet where you get to pick and choose; it is a microwave dinner where you get what you get.)

P.S. Evangelicals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Mormons I like that you’re passionate about your faith…but I’m not buying what you’re selling. Please stop knocking on my door or I will just have to keep telling you I am a Satanist to scare you away. Just thought you should know.

Reasons Why I Am a Bad Southerner.

2011-08-05T22:25:00.001-07:00

I lived half my childhood in the south (the first half). Even though I grew up in the south my parents were obvious Yankees and that influence was made even more clear to other people by some pretty obvious tells.

First I don’t like sweet tea. In fact, I hate any sugar in my tea. In my opinion tea is best served black (no sugar, no milk, and no cream) whether it is iced or hot. This is extremely frustrating when every two seconds you have someone shoving a pitcher in your mouth and asking in a sing song twang, "Y'all want some sweet tea?"

Another sign that I wasn’t fully southern was I never ate grits, or chitlins, or collard greens at home. The typical southern comfort food was never prepared in our household. Going to friends homes would be interesting and I would sometimes wonder aloud what something was because I didn’t recognize it. The puzzled faces would tell me that this was another yank fail.

The biggest southerner offense of them all was that I just don’t like football (the American style of football, for you international readers). That is just unheard of! The whole town goes to the high school football games. The Superbowl isn’t just a sporting event, it is a solemn holiday more celebrated than Christmas. I just don’t like it. There’s a bunch of pausing and clock resetting and huddles. Five minutes in football doesn’t really mean five minutes, it means thirty minutes. The referees are always talking to the crowd explaining things (If you’re a fan shouldn’t you just know why they got a penalty?). Actual plays might last for a couple minutes if you’re lucky (this is more reminiscent of rush hour traffic not a sport). I just never thought it was that interesting… why couldn’t it be more like soccer or hockey or basketball; few interruptions, lots of action that lasts for long periods of time, and minimal referee talking.

Not quite fitting in as a southern belle isn’t such a bad thing. In fact, not quite being just like everyone else made me cool and interesting (if only in my head).

Top Ten Reasons Why I Have a Hard Time Finishing Top Ten Lists:

2011-08-03T02:15:00.000-07:00

10. I’m busy.

9. Five seems like enough.

8. People have short attention spans.

7. I’m too lazy to write a real post, let alone ten whole ideas.

6. I’m sick of writing about my cats all the time…seriously it’s weird.

5. There is a lot of pressure to produce ten funny/mildly amusing/sort of okay one liners.

4. I’m ripping off David Letterman.

3. Seriously why do I have to do more than five?

2. I give up…

Meditating on Meditation

2011-07-31T23:09:00.001-07:00

I’ve been thinking about taking up meditating. I have enough nuisances in my life that a little quiet time might be welcome. I also like the scientific evidence so far which shows that meditation helps to reduce stress and anxiety.

I have so many things that get in the way. I can’t even go to the bathroom in peace. No, I don’t have kids. It’s not that I don’t like miniature humans; it’s just that I haven’t gotten around to creating one yet. I keep getting interrupted by my cats. The very same creatures that choose to ignore my presence on a regular basis also can’t live without me for the whole five minutes it takes for me to complete my business. Even sleeping is an ordeal with Emma constantly battling for my pillows. The cats are clearly the owners and I'm the indentured servant.

I figure that spending an extra 5-10 minutes in my car when I get home meditating couldn’t hurt. No interruptions (I can turn my phone off) and my car is fairly comfy. It sure is better than using that power of positive thinking type garbage like in The Secret. You want to know the real secret about The Secret… if you bought it, you’ve been ripped off. I still ponder if Oprah was getting a cut in The Secret profits, but then again she is very new agey.

I’ll give it a couple weeks and if I don’t feel relaxed then I’ll give up. There are other ways of blowing off steam. I could just write more posts.

My Own Brand Of Rebellion

2011-07-28T22:16:00.004-07:00

“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great."-Mark Twain

I’m the kind of person who often will surprise people. I like unexpected things, and do unexpected things. I look like a nice unassuming girl next door, but I like goth punk and synchronized swimming. I enjoy math and science and camping in the dirt (air mattresses are for old people and wussies). This isn’t because I am crazy, but because I am a little rebellious and I don’t look it. I was never the girl who dyed her hair black, got a bunch of piercings and tattoos, and began telling people to F off. No I was more subversive. If the band teacher kept pushing me towards the flute…well damn it I was definitely going to be learning to play the tuba.

Whenever someone told me that I couldn’t do something (usually a skill or pursuit…nothing illicit) I sure as hell went out and did it just to prove a point. In fact, I would have never gone back to camp, and would have missed out tremendously, if one of the few bratty girls there (who really seemed to hate me) hadn’t said that I would never make it to the oldest group (a group who received some of the most wondrous privileges). Her pathetic words held no power over me and I was going to make that clear. Although in the next five summers I came to love that camp and looked forward to visiting all year, I did feel a small sense of satisfaction when the final year came and I was there and the rude girl wasn’t.

My pushing back against dream killers is why I am always attracted to the kinds of artists that are a little off. My favorite author is Oscar Wilde. Known for his wit and unapologetic rebelliousness if he had been alive today I would actively try to work with or for him in some way. I also love John Waters. After watching one of his specials (This Filthy World) I realized that I had more in common with a 60 year-old gay man than most young women my age. (Yes I have seen almost all of his wonderfully sick movies.)

Warning! Here comes the preachiness:

When you encounter these negative influences in life...these dream killers, tell them (in your head so that you stay productive) to go screw themselves and then prove to yourself that you can do whatever it is you want.

Don’t tell me that I can’t do something impressive, because you will be wrong…just letting you know!

A Call For Accountability

2011-07-28T16:34:00.000-07:00

I am asking you readers to hold me accountable to something! I need you to call me out if I don’t accomplish the following are goals by the conclusion of July 2013.

* Hot Air Balloon Ride in Sedona
* Dune Buggy Day in Yuma
* Road Trip to San Diego, CA
* Road Trip to Las Vegas
* See the Painted Desert
* See Zion National Park
* Visit a Cave

I am asking for all out mockery if I fail to complete the above tasks! I will tell you about each goal once it’s completed and try to bring something unique to the table about each experience.

Thanks in advance!

FYI: Guest Blog Today at The Guest Writer's Blog

2011-07-25T12:52:00.000-07:00

Just letting you know I have my article "Where is Jill Nye the Science Gal?" featured on The Guest Writer's Blog. This is a great blog created to feature various blogger's writing. Go check it out and look around!

http://theguestwriterblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/where-is-jill-nye-science-gal-by.html

The Ronco Food Dehydrator

2011-07-20T23:33:00.002-07:00

This story was inspired, in part, by a blog post "I'm an "As Seen on TV" Junkie" by Amethyst Mahoney.

My parents were cheap when I was young. There was no cable or satellite TV in our house. We would never have gotten a VCR if one of my relatives had not given it as a gift for Christmas. Luckily I spent quite a bit of time at school and gymnastics, but on the weekends it was regular TV with only four channels (Fox didn’t come along until I was about 9 or 10).

After Saturday morning cartoons ended the infomercials would come on. I remember when I was about 8 I wanted the Ronco Food Dehydrator SOOOOOOOOOO badly! It could make fruit roll-ups and beef jerky! What could be better than that? I wanted that food dehydrator more than Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures (Michelangelo was the best), or My Little Ponies, or Barbie. Of course my parents couldn’t understand why a child would want a food dehydrator…clearly they never saw the most awesome infomercial of all time featuring Ron Popeil (who was the inventor!).

Looking back it is an odd thing for a child to want, but I was really into inventors at the time and was influenced greatly by the very convincing infomercial. Also I wanted fruit roll-ups and beef jerky without having to beg my mom incessantly (she insisted that this sustenance was junk food).

I still don’t have the food dehydrator and probably won’t get it. I’m not that into fruit roll-ups and beef jerky anymore. I have since learned to yearn for infomercial products without actually buying them. Maybe I’m better off…At least I’ll have less crappy stuff that doesn’t work cluttering up my small apartment.

Where Is My Chapstick?

2011-07-19T22:59:00.001-07:00

What is the deal with Chapstick? I always seem to be buying tubes of the stuff (two packs, three packs, and single tubes) yet when I really need it the Chapstick has seemed to disappear. It is as if little Chapstick gremlins walk about my apartment as I sleep and pilfer every tube in my possession.

Meanwhile, the next day, I cannot concentrate because my lips are chapped and sore. Damn you Chapstick gremlins!

The Most Awkward Mother-Daughter Afternoon

2011-07-14T22:08:00.001-07:00

Even to this day as a grown adult I find watching love scenes in movies to be, well….awkward. I would prefer if I didn’t have to be subjected to sex scenes at all. Even a long kiss makes me squirm. So imagine you as a thirteen year-old and your mom going to see a movie together as a nice day out, and then imagine that movie being nothing but sex scenes.

My mom had heard about the movie “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” from watching Oprah. She thought innocently that it would be ok to watch with me; because why would Oprah recommend a movie that you wouldn’t want your kid to see? We went to see the matinee showing. Everything appeared normal at first. My mom bought the tickets, we got our movie treats at the concession stand, and we found a couple of seats.

As the movie played my mom and I were caught by the incessant sex scenes. I think we were both just hoping that each scene would be the last and the movie would progress forward…it never turned out that way.

Once the movie ended my mom and I left the theater and my mom said to me. I’m sorry, I didn’t know the movie was going to be like that.

So thank you Oprah for the most awkward, uncomfortable, afternoon spent with my mother when I was a teenager.

FYI- I Just Started A Second Blog!

2011-07-13T15:27:00.001-07:00

Just letting all of you know about my other new blog called The College Wallet. The blog is about how to pay for college. Tips will include both conventional and unconventional ways of paying for school. The focus of the blog is on the methods of paying for school which aren't normally talked about. Hope some of you will find this helpful!

http://thecollegewallet.blogspot.com/

Where is Jill Nye the Science Gal?

2011-07-09T00:49:00.001-07:00

Warning: I went a little serious again, but I had to get this off of my chest. I know it's a little long, but I hope it makes you think a little.

I am in the process of trying to start an Association for Women in Mathematics chapter at my University. I wasn’t really inspired to do this until recently when I came to a sad realization while viewing the “people who inspire you” section on my Facebook profile…none of them are women.

What is worse is that when it comes to literature, history, and business I know of many examples of women who figured prominently and made significant contributions, but in science and mathematics I can only think of a few. Of those few, most are in the social sciences and some met with some pretty terrible fates (i.e. Marie Curie). I am also well aware of the stories of women who would have had their names in the history books, but alas their work is overshadowed (and not credited properly) in history books by their male contemporaries, even thought their work is what made it possible for those men to make important discoveries.

I began to also realize that as a child growing up I had no female role models in math or science when it came to pop culture. I loved Indiana Jones and wanted to be an archeologist for the longest time. I watched Beakman’s World and Bill Nye the Science Guy every chance I could. All of my childhood science heroes were men.

Even today when I watch television or go to the movies it is still mostly male characters that dominate the world of math and science. Women, when cast as scientists, are often characterized as brilliant, but so socially flawed that they are to be pitied.

In the media women who are gifted at math and science and who are also cool, fun, interesting, and desirable are mostly portrayed as doctors, psychologists, or nurses. All of these are noble fields, but these are not the only science fields. Women are rarely portrayed in the applied and theoretical sciences such as engineers, mathematicians, scientists, and researchers.

Even my favorite shows like Big Bang Theory and Bones do this. The one “normal” character Bernadette in the Big Bang Theory still had to contend with the possible emasculation of her future husband by her earning a PhD. Although she is normal, especially in comparison to most of the other characters in the show, Bernadette’s character is subjected to the sexist storyline that she should walk on eggshells because she dared to be an accomplished female scientist who would make more money than her less educated and less accomplished husband to be. Other characters like Amy Farah Fowler are meant to comically mirror the bizarre Sheldon Cooper character, or as in the case of Leslie Winkle are characterized as women who behave as men do (even sexually); one would assume because she is in a male dominated profession.

In Bones Dr. Brennan is so dependent on her logic and facts that she pushes people and her feelings away because they aren’t as reliable. She is brilliant but damaged, so damaged that the audience often wonders if she can ever really be happy. In one of my favorite cancelled shows Numb3rs, Amita is portrayed as a brilliant and beautiful mathematician, but her role is largely supportive of her love interest Charlie Epps. This support even threatens her ability to move forward in her career. The audience is led to want Amita to give up her goals for Charlie for the sake of the love story. Amita doesn’t really get a chance to focus on her own work until the show ends or when she is briefly broken up with Charlie; thus emphasizing to the audience that her work is not as important in the grand scheme of things, or that women in the sciences must choose between love and success.

One of the few positive featured normal role models in science pop culture right now (that children would be exposed to…sorry Dr. Ruth) is on the TV show Mythbusters. Kari Byron has been on the show for years and shows young kids that women can be good at science and be just as successful as men. We need more Kari’s so that little girls can have that woman that makes them feel that they can be a mathematician, scientist, or engineer.

I was lucky. I had parents that encouraged my interest in the sciences and made it clear to me that I was capable of doing anything I wanted to in any intellectual pursuit. I am also lucky that social norms did not stifle my exploration into math and science. But if the media is still portraying female mathematicians and scientists in sexist and denigrating ways, how do we encourage young girls into math and science? How do we change the perception in society to women who are good at math and science are normal, interesting, cool, and desirable? I don’t know the answer yet, but I’ll keep trying to think of one.

Why Mechanical Pencils Suck

2011-07-08T21:00:00.000-07:00

I always break the lead every time I go to actually write something.
The refills are ridiculously expensive.
You miss out on using a pencil sharpener.
The erasers are almost non-existent and they always fall off the top.
When you go to erase something more lead comes out.
They are easily mistaken for pens when blindly searching a pocket in your bag.

Just Another Thought Online Community Forum

2011-07-08T01:16:00.000-07:00

Just Another Thought Online Community Forum

The Epic Battle

2011-07-07T21:44:00.002-07:00

As I have mentioned before Emma is the feistier one of my two cats. She seems to have some entitlement issues and constantly causes problems when she doesn’t get her way. Joy on the other hand responds well to training and behaves most of the time.

Every night I brush my teeth, put on my pajamas, and prepare for battle. I get into bed and get comfortable. Soon afterwards Emma rears her furry head and sharp little claws. You see, in her eyes, I just stole her pillows. I have had to kick the cats out nightly to avoid the fate of a cat attacking my head in hopes of reclaiming my pillows. The epic battle will continue…

Klosterman

2011-07-06T21:15:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week I was listening to the podcast of Wiretap entitled, "Klosterman's Questions."

If you haven't heard of the Klosterman Test you should check out the short quiz on OKCupid. Basically this guy named Chuck Klosterman came up with a 23 question test to determine whether or not you are worthy of being his friend.

Now you might say, "I don't know this Chuck Klosterman character and I refuse to take some egotistical jerk's quiz to see if I am worthy to be his friend." I thought very much the same thing, but his quiz is actually quite entertaining. Now I am not too satisfied with the answers available on OKCupid, so I thought I would answer one of the twenty- three questions the way I would want to.

This is question 14:

For reasons that cannot be explained, cats can suddenly read at a twelfth-grade level. They can't talk and they can't write, but they can read silently and understand the text. Many cats love this new skill, because they now have something to do all day while they lay around the house; however, a few cats become depressed, because reading forces them to realize the limitations of their existence (not to mention the utter frustration of being unable to express themselves).

This being the case, do you think the average cat would enjoy Garfield, or would cats find this cartoon to be an insulting caricature?

Garfield to cats would be what Dilbert is to office workers. With the exception of loving lasagna Garfield seems to capture the angst many cats have from dealing with their dopey owners. I don't know why cats would necessarily read Garfield because my cats would probably enjoy shredding the newspaper more than reading it, especially when there are far more interesting reads than the comics. I think cats would be more interested in reading about the outside world, especially since many cats are limited to indoor living.

I encourage you to give your opinion on cats possibly being offended by Garfield, or any of the other Klosterman questions. Just to let you know I am only 52% compatible with Klosterman according to OKCupid.

Guest Posting On AliLilly

2011-07-02T22:13:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard of the blog AliLilly you should check it out. Especially if you enjoy making crafts and or cooking/baking. You should also check it out Sunday because yours truly will be guest posting on AliLilly. I will be sharing a how to on a useful craft, plus sharing a little of the disaster that occurred the first time I tried making that craft.

Check out my guest post, comment, and follow AliLilly if you enjoy crafting or if you are like me, crafting vicariously.

Here is the link: http://alililly.blogspot.com/

Black Socks Never Get Dirty

2011-07-01T11:00:00.009-07:00

When I went to camp as a kid we would sing songs on the bus to pass the time when going on a trip. I usually remember this one the most often:

“Black socks they never get dirty the longer you wear them the blacker they get.

Someday I’m going to launder them, but something keeps telling me don’t do it yet, not yet, not yet… “

I think I remember this one the most because I have expanded upon this song to other things in my life. The following is a list of items I own that are black:

Couch

Curtains

Bed sheets

6 shirts

Three pants

Sneakers (you may hear about these in another posting)

Trash can

Microwave

Lap top

Backpack

Futon

3 purses

One cat

All of my socks

Two belts

And much, much more.

Individually, these items may seem normal, but together this style of mine may come off as a little emo. Not the case, couldn’t pull it off if I wanted to.

You see I have an aversion to having things that look dirty. Black stuff (except in the kitchen and with cars) tends not to look as dirty as lighter colored items. If I wear a white shirt it is guaranteed to be stained by day’s end. Even if you stain something that is black, if you wash it the stain is hardly noticeable. Plus if the black begins to fade it is easy to buy some Rit dye to make it dark again. Other colors are hard to match and you just don’t end up with the same teal shirt you loved before.

The downside to so many black items in my house is that things can look a little dreary at times. The solution…many framed photographs on the wall. I used to have colorful throw pillows, but the cats always find a way to destroy those…throw pillows are the mortal enemy of cats, second only to toilet paper. I have also attempted to have wooden furniture and a multi-colored rug, but still I look like I live in a depressed Swedish house.

The other downside is that it can be easy to lose the cats because of camouflage effects in the bed. As you can (or can’t) see here Joy blends easily into her natural environment.

This leads to accidental sitting on cats, followed by muffled meows and sharp claws in my hind end. The solution, do a quick hand sweep on the bed for cats before sitting on or flopping into bed.

It could be worse....everything I own could be white and covered in black cat hair.

Gay Marriage

2011-06-30T14:25:00.000-07:00

Generally speaking I don’t intend to write on politics very often on this blog, but there has been a great deal of chatter out there since New York legalized gay marriage earlier this week. I believe that same-sex marriage is something that just needs to happen if we as a society truly want equality under the law. I understand that many people have religious/moral objections to gay marriage and wish to see it remain illegal.

There is one question in particular that is often brought to the table and is used both as an argument against and for gay marriage. I feel both sides make a flawed argument with this question, and for the sake of logic I wish to point this out and how to make a better argument for the side I support. The question is “Does gay marriage threaten the sanctity of marriage?”

Social conservatives argue that by legalizing gay marriage the institution of marriage is somehow disparaged because the union of two people of the same sex (according to most who oppose gay marriage) is an abomination in the eyes God. Social conservatives point to holy texts such as the Bible to prove their argument. While proponents of gay marriage argue that marriage these days isn’t really as holy as many social conservatives would like to believe. Approximately 50% of all marriages don’t last, people cheat with just about the same frequency of divorce, and pre-marital sex is generally condoned in American society.

Both sides are missing the boat. Our nation has lived by the excellent concept of separation of church and state. The argument of whether or not same-sex marriage threatens the sanctity of marriage is really an irrelevant red herring. Our laws are not supposed to enforce the moral beliefs of any particular religion. The sanctity of marriage does not lie in the contract governed by state and federal laws, but in religious beliefs and rites. Extending marriage to all groups of people gay or straight under the law does not mandate the holiness of that union nor a particular religion’s right to exclude the weddings of those individuals they deem unfit for marriage within their holy sites (churches, temples, mosques, etc.) or officiated by their religious leaders. Denying two men, or two women, the right of marriage under the law is not done in the interest of protecting society, but in the interest of forcing one group’s religious beliefs onto others.

The legislation of morality has been met by many failures (such as prohibition), including some failures we continue to try to enforce today. In many cases legislating morality works because it protects society…we can all agree that murder, rape, and theft cause pain, terror, and damage to individuals and society as a whole. But these crimes which are typically seen as immoral were not put into law simply because they were immoral, but because they threatened the peace and prosperity of individuals and the nation by extension. The danger to legislating morality for things such as gay marriage, which truly affect only those who partake, is that we turn our backs on the basic guiding principles of our nation…life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

And now for a cute cat picture...

The Most Expensive Tomatoes Ever

2011-06-30T08:32:00.000-07:00

I had a month or two of delusional thinking. That is, I thought I could grow a tomato plant and reap the harvest of tasty, juicy, tomatoes. I bought the potting soil, the planter, the Miracle Grow© tomato food, a watering can, and of course, the tomato plant.

For two months Tim watered and cared for the plant which I continuously forgot existed. I was excited to see the plant flower and tomatoes starting to grow.

Since I am a novice gardener I forgot that you have to plant gardens really early in Arizona because for some reasons tomatoes don’t grow well in 100°+ temperatures. Last week the plant died. And I only got two tomatoes. The most expensive, not even close to ripe, tomatoes I have ever had. Hopefully they will ripen off the vine and taste somewhat delicious. Each tomato costs approximately $10.00. Given that tomatoes at the local grocery store are currently going for about $0.77 a pound, my tomatoes seem to be a little steep in price.

Note to self…buy tomatoes at the grocery store; don’t even try to grow them on your own.