The Most Important Stuff Ever

Sunday, March 27, 2005

Kavorkian and Roe: On The Same Page?

Can I write this entry and still be a pacifist?

OK, so we have one Terry Schiavo who, one day, probably in passing, told her husband that she would never want to live like a vegetable. Perhaps they were watching a story on the news about someone in a coma and made the comment, ever so casually, that would evenutally change the way people thought about life and death- at least for a few weeks, 15 years later. Perhaps it was one night after she had thrown up her dinner- again. Maybe she told him she hated living in this skin, and it made sense to him that she would hate living a life any less than the hell she was already going through. So years later, when she had her accident he thought back to this time, knowing that she couldn't bear to look at herself in the mirror each day when she could walk, talk, feed, bathe and use the bathroom by herself, let alone as a "vegetable." So when her parents, too sad to lose their daughter to another world, argued that Michael did not know her true wishes; after all, she never wrote it down, he could do nothing but go to the courts. He was her husband, he knew her best. They were her parents, they taught her those values that would not allow her to end her life "prematurely."

Then we have Jane Roe, who in 1970 decided that it was completely unfair, unsafe, and unconstitutional for the state to deny her the right to safe and legal medical procedures. She was unmarried and pregnant from her rape and living in a state where it was not safe to have an abortion. Not only that, she was too poor to travel to where it was safe and had no where to turn until she met Sarah Weddington. Together, the mysterious Roe, and Weddington filed an injunction against District Attorney Henry Wade. The landmark case ultimately resulted in a constitutional amendment which would allow access to legal abortions across the country. While it is still under debate as to whether or not much has changed in the past 35 years, it is no longer illegal for a woman to seek out and have this procedure. Most abortions, especially in the first term, are preformed by a simple D&E, or dilation and evacuation (it's exactly like it sounds) which causes little side effects or danger to the woman and is normally preformed as an outpatient procedure. The fetus is removed from her body, in more cases than not, before it has even completely developed a heart or a nervous system that does more than maintain life via the brain stem.

Jane Roe and Terry Schiavo have a lot in common. The preservation of life is a tricky thing. As a self-proclaimed pacifist, my ultimate goal is to preserve life, health and safety above all else. I hate guns, hitting and I'm even middle of the road when it comes to throwing things (you gotta have an outlet somewhere). The aggression that motivates these things is the major concern, but the result is just as difficult. Pain and suffering. It is that pain and suffering which drives our opinions on things like euthenasia, abortion, and even the death penalty (I've decided not to even go there on the latter). Why would someone choose to end life when they ultimately have the option to preserve it? The answer to this conundrum is incredibly simple: it's personal. People go through a lot of things: difficult families, bulimia, rape... and it is impossible to judge how it is a person should deal with these things in their own lives. At what point does the government get to determine how to do that and save people from making the wrong decisions? At what point does the general public have enough sense to make them for themselves, learn from mistakes and move on?

Terry Schiavo is laying now, starving at her hospice waiting for a death that should have come to her over 15 years ago. Her family, including her husband, are there with her, helping her through until the end, praying for her. Jane Roe (who actually has a real name, Norma McCorvey, and is a real human being) has most likely moved on although it is impossible to ever fully recover from an abortion, let alone a rape. In fact, it is rumored that she has turned a different corner in her life and now considers herself pro-life. Whether or not she now believes her decision was right, she was at least given the opportunity to make that decision on her own. While it may seem like two great losses, the truth is, the government is, as it should be, looking seriously at the amount of involvement it takes in people's personal lives. And if nothing else, there's a little bit of comfort in that.

Wednesday, March 23, 2005

Screw the Color, Is It Even There to Begin With?!?!

I'm looking for some life, here. Where can I get some life? Specifically something that doesn't make me argue with people that I love, and supports my addiction to doing good things for other people? Where can I find that? Because it's not the internet.
I'm reading this book, perhaps you've heard of it, called What Color is Your Parachute? by Richard N. Bolles. Apparently, he rewrites the damn book every freaking year, and all I have to work with is 2002. The year I graduated! Anyway, according to Dick (yeah, I said it) there are two types of job searches- you're everyday-I-need-more-money kind of search and the life-changing-brand-spankin-new-career-path-change-of-life kind. I am decidedly on the latter, not surprising because I tend to either over-dramatize (hyphenating is fun!) or take too personally any sort of life decision, from cooking dinner to looking for jobs. Dick also says, "The clearer your vision of what you seek, the closer you are to finding it." He suggests a few exercises to help you with said vision, including one that involves drawing pictures. As I was reading about this exercise, I immediately thought I would do better with writing a story about it, but there at the end, he denies me and says that words are left-brained and therefore catering to my "safekeeping self."
I've never read a self-help book before, unless you count psychology texts. I don't intend to start taking advice from them now, but if nothing else, this book gets you thinking about what you should be thinking about. Right? And at this point, I could use any sort of direction that's available. Including but not limited to online tests, random searches on google and altavista, and surveys of students and friends.
Not only do I not have a vision of what I seek, I'm pretty sure I don't even know how to begin looking for it. Who cares what my vision is when all I know is that I want to get on another plane. We have a lot of work to do here before I start drawing pictures of things.

Sunday, March 20, 2005

Buy This Man's Movies






















Gael Garcia Bernal

Gael and I have been together since Amorres Perros, through Y Tu Mama Tambien, Los Diarios de Motocicletas and one day, el Crimen de Padre Amaro. I suggest you do the same. He is my favorite Mexican movie star. And so on...

Saturday, March 12, 2005

Another Reason to Hate Me

I think there's something everyone should know about me. Know this and accept it because it's not going anywhere any time soon. I don't like kids. I'm not ashamed of this. They can't talk for the most part, and the ones who do only complain, cry or say incredibly rude things to each other or those around them. Not only that, but they must be paid attention at nearly every moment because they're either hungry, bored, stupid or they've shat their pants again.

Children love me. They're like dogs, they smell fear. It's like I'm the most imaginative person they've ever met in their lives and they just can't get enough of me. Even babies stare at me. (Or maybe they're shitting, but they seem to be staring.) My cousin has like 35 kids or something and a couple of years ago at Christmas at her dad's house, two of them were playing with some newly acquired toy that reinforced gender/sexual/socioeconomic stereotypes. I don't know if it's because I look like one of them, because my face is naturally closer to theirs and therefore more inviting, but somehow I got roped into playing along. The boy was playing with Legos, and because he literally had the brain power of a three year old, I was forced to build each and every model on the instruction sheet (this is if you're not creative to come up with the following:) as well as a robot who would "fly and throw arrows and eat birds." What a freaking weirdo. The girl was worse. Not only did she have a fake makeup set (shoot me) but I was her first and only customer at Mykayla's Little Shop of Horrors. For like 19 hours straight. I think most of my hair was left behind in that tiny pink plastic brush of hers. After I was sufficiently hooched out and and designed and constructed a bird-eating robot, they climbed all over me until my scoliosis eventually turned the other way. Couldn't we have read a book? "Our Bodies Ourselves" maybe?

I'm reminded of all this because I just returned from the most recent Disney movie. (What was I thinking? It's 7:30 on a weekend- of course there will be little people crawling all over the seats!) For the most part, the kids were sitting quietly shitting in their pants or begging for attention, absorbing all sorts of social messages about their life via computer animation, but I couldn't help but be annoyed with all the free loot they were getting. I'm talking popcorn, candy, and CAFFEINE. I don't mean to sound crotchety, but isn't it getting close to bed time?

I suppose one day I will want to have a couple of them around. Something about a clock ticking and the greatest adventure of my life, etc. etc. I don't anticipate this happening soon. I like my freedom, I dislike shit, and I am not having one of those episiotomies.

[Editor's note: The Spanish word of the day just so happens to be malcriado, meaning poorly raised, spoiled. Coincidence? I think not!]

Thursday, March 10, 2005

Lies: A Very Important List

  • My job is great because I have a lot of power to make decisions for other people. Sometimes I can do something just because I feel like it. Not only that, but I am also able to distance myself from my advisees by keeping a strict policy of being only slightly honest with them about certain issues. This helps with any concern of them ever really getting to know me, or vice versa. It can all be very rewarding.
  • Marriage is probably one of the best things for our society. People should pair up for life all the time, but only if it is a. legally recognized and b. accepted by all of society as "normal." If it is only one of the previous, that's sort of ok, but if it's neither, I find it disgusting. Love is so great.
  • A good way to look professional at work is to get grease on your pants, notice it on your way out the door, and leave them on anyway.
  • Staring, whistling, or making lewd comments towards co-workers is always a good idea, especially if said co-worker is a member of the opposite sex. Try walking around to the side of their desk, looking them up and down, and then saying, "You look hot today."
  • There are no benefits to music.
  • Pizza causes cancer. [Author's note: this could actually be true, because pretty much everything causes it somehow, but for the most part, I believe that not only is pizza amazing, but also not a carcinogen.]
  • An entertaining thing to do when living in the same town as a college campus, is to hang around on the main avenue through the center of campus. If you are in high school, periodically cruise up and down the street and yell out any old thing to any one you see; male/female, international, black, citizen, whatever; go crazy! Bring eggs, coins, or cold beverages to throw!
  • Filling an empty Diet Coke can with wine and calling it Jesus Juice is cool. And not weird.
  • All dogs must die. In fact, let's ban together to rid the world of all domesticated animals, including parrots, goats and hedgehogs.
  • TV is the root of all evil. So is shopping and salty food.
  • Lists in 'blogs annoy people.

Tuesday, March 08, 2005

Hire Me. Please. For the Love of God.

Does all this make sense? I need help...

Megan Horn

Education Ohio Wesleyan University Delaware, Ohio
2002 Bachelor of Arts Degree, Psychology


Experience
Area Coordinator, Residential Life & Housing
May 2003-Present The College of Wooster
  • Researched and developed the Residential Senior Experience program for senior students living in two Residence Halls.
  • Act as a liaison with administrative offices, design programs, manage a budget and supervise committee members for the Residential Senior Experience.
  • Provide Residence Hall Support for the Summer Camps & Conferences program which serves over 2,500 visitors annually, by assisting camp directors and staff with housing, work requests, and safety issues in Residence Halls.
  • Develop training program for and supervise 5 members of Summer Conferences student crew.
  • Supervise three paraprofessional Residence Directors for four residence halls with approximately 400 upper-class residents.
  • Serve as a Residence Director of 140 students and supervise 7 Resident Assistants.
  • Develop and plan Resident Assistant in-service monthly training for 90 staff members.
  • Provide Professional Development resources including books, seminars, conference information and campus offices for Central Office and Senior Staffs.
  • Assist in Resident Assistant and Resident Director selection and training.

Administrative Intern, Lowry Center and Student Activities
August 2002 - May 2003 The College of Wooster
  • Serve as a resource for student leaders of nearly 100 different campus organizations.
  • Manage the production of all Late Night programming using a budget of $8000 for 20 events.
  • Plan and co-facilitate the Emerging Leaders program for approximately 50 first year students.
  • Support the Student Activities Board through officer selection, event assistance, and advice based on past experiences.
  • Develop and publish a monthly electronic Student Activities Newsletter for student leaders and faculty advisors.
  • Coordinate the collection of Advisor Contracts from campus organization leaders.
  • Serve on the Committee on Social Organizations, which oversees all local greek organizations.
  • Coordinate with student leaders to develop and edit Organization Charters for Campus Council.
  • Responsible for the execution of Annual Scot Spirit Day club fair, which serves the entire campus.

Residence Director, Program Houses
August 2002 - May 2003 The College of Wooster
  • Oversee five Resident Assistants and over 160 residents for 21 Program Houses.
  • Assist in selection of future RAs as a member of the RA selection committee.
  • Advise and evaluate all Residential Life programs and events for houses.
  • Ensure community standards and healthy living and learning spaces by maintaining contact with Custodial Services, Campus Security, and the Wooster Volunteer Network.

Monday, March 07, 2005

March 10th Is Important Because...

Please choose the best answer:

  1. It's the day after what would have been my parents' anniversary. Had they continued to love each other, this would have been year number 28 for them. Give or take.
  2. It's a very, very important night of television.
  3. It's a new moon, and that means I will have access to a dynamic burst of startup juice. It's about damn time.

Choose wisely grasshoppers, there is only one true answer. Until then, I'm keeping my mouth shut.

Thursday, March 03, 2005

This Post Will Make You Feel Good About Your Life

I don't like writing here when I don't think I know what I'm trying to say.
Not to say that I knew all those other times, but this time, I am really pretty conscious of the fact that I have no idea what the fuck I'm going to do.
There are three things that a screwing up the perfect world of puppy dogs and rainbows that I have built for myself. Ignorance is bliss, and I seem to have found plenty of both. As long as ignorance also counts as not completely thinking through your feelings, doing something for three years because you can, and then throwing a fit when you realize what you've done.
To some of you, this may come as a surprise. To others of you, this may just come.
I'm quitting my job.
In, like, a couple months when I find something else to do. As it turns out, and I'm taking a big risk here, because students read this thing sometimes: my job is just a huge farce. In other words, this stuff is like the chocolate cake melting in the sun, so good until something real gets to it and destroys! Destroys!
That being said, there is also the moral (and you thought I didn't know that word) obligation to make a difference to someone somewhere. Not that you can't in this job, but there's that paragraph that I just wrote that is making it complicated. Plus, I can do more somewhere else. Somewhere else meaning in another field, in another state, in another frame of mind.
So all those days I didn't write, I promise I was thinking of you all. All 300something of you (why do you keep coming here?) who checked in even though that crap from a week ago was still up. I was writing in my mind, look at it that way.
What's my motivation here?