Showing posts with label Enlightenment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Enlightenment. Show all posts
Saturday, January 7, 2012
A New Year and a New Perspective
I guess that is what a new year is all about…gaining and implementing a new perspective. My new outlook is one of opportunity and challenges. I am still at the crossroads I mentioned late last summer but my path is becoming clearer. Perhaps the clarity is simply in response to knocking things systematically off my list. 2010 and 2011 were years filled with the word “NO” being thrown my direction from every aspect of my life. In 2012 I’m not going to settle for “no” anymore. I see a whole world of “YES” and now I just have to find a way to make those affirmations into affirmative actions…..Can I do it? Yes!!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
The path unknown
Riddle for the day: I am at an unusual crossroads in life, and each path has no clearly defined path or answer-completely vacant-how do I chose? Usually one chooses between something and something, I am choosing between unknowns.....
Friday, April 8, 2011
Poetry & Wine
Temptation
Flipping through the latest Hollywood magazine
Gazing at your glossy celluloid dream
Half a glass of warm red wine
And a lit cigarette
I suppose I could wish you into my life
Find a red candle and a flame to light
Half a glass of warm red wine
And a lit cigarette
A sliver of the moon hanging low in the sky
The acoustic guitar in my room begins to cry
Half a glass of warm red wine
And a lit cigarette
Swaying and slow dancing in the hall
Press me up tight and long against the wall
Half a glass of warm red wine
And a lit cigarette
Kissing until you bruise my lips
Hands wandering down around my hips
Half a glass of warm red wine
And a lit cigarette
The heat of your touch and the palm of my hand
The sweet taste, salty sweat, a delicious man
Half a glass of warm red wine
And a lit cigarette
The initial temptation of skin against skin
Invoking waves of delay in me again
Half a glass of warm red wine
And a lit cigarette
Perfume of last night lingers low in the air
Your fingers run through my tangled hair
Half a glass of warm red wine
And a lit cigarette
We never think twice about etiquette
They don’t have to know what we’ll never forget
Half a glass of warm red wine
And a lit cigarette
The pale light of the dawn warms my skin
Pulling me back from where I’ve been
Half a glass of warm red wine
And a lit cigarette.
***********************************
Sonnet:
The Blood of the Gods
Just one grape is so precious and so rare
That has only lived in ever one place
And a lovely maiden with long red hair
On the lips of a dying man she traced
A wine reserved for Caesars and for Kings
Poets of Rome praised the Falerian
And about it often the chorus sings
The name was buried by historians
The blood of the gods and the blood of man
Long ago forgotten just like this wine
And a myth I will never understand
Covered long ago by the ash of time
From Mt Vesuvius and Mt Vulture
Aglianico is still the poet’s lure
**************************************
How can I become everything to me?
How can I conquer the world
When I haven’t even conquered
My own hometown city yet?
How can I soar to new heights
When I haven’t ever stepped
Out of the wadding pool just yet?
How can I ever love you
When I don’t even know who you are
I haven’t even met you yet?
How can I become everything to me
When I don’t even really know
What that is just yet?
How do I begin to feel
And make it real
After so many years of hiding?
When will I set it right
And give up the fight
And begin living instead of lying?
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Business Ethics Final Exam Question 3/Answer...
What do you see as the most significant element of the feminist movement that is concerning the development of the global economy over the past number of years? How does this movement reflect on doing business at the international level, and why? You may wish to draw on the analysis of Simone de Beauvoir, and her notions of the other in your reply.
The greatest contributing factor of the feminist movement to the global economy has been the rapid increase of the labor pool, and a cheaper labor in general. At the beginning of the last century, only 1% of workers worldwide were female. Between the 1970’s and 2000, that number rose to about 45%. In 2010, 49.83% of all workers in the United States are female and 50% of all workers worldwide are female. With the great increase of viable workers, most areas of commerce exponentially grew. Fewer men needed to work in agriculture, education, service, and sales, which meant more men could work in manufacturing and manufacturing could experience significant growth. Now, in nearly every field, there are basically equal numbers of each gender employed. There are a few industries such as heavy construction and manufacturing that experience vast occupational segregation and imbalance, but for the most part, things are divided fairly equally.
Feminism has not ushered in equality throughout the majority of the world. Employers worldwide, the United States included, still continue to exploit and subjugate women. In 99% of all fields, women earn less money for doing exactly the same job. Statistics vary, but on average the American female worker earns between 69% and 73% of what a male worker earns according to the US Census. My favorite way to illustrate this point is follows: If a female student and a male student take exactly the same multiple choice exam and they both answer every question correctly, the male would receive a grade of 100% and the female would receive a grade of 69-73%. He would get an A+ and She would get a D+ or a C- at best. Is that fair? No, of course it is not, but it happens every day, all over the world, in business.
The United Nations Human Development Report 2004 shows that in rural areas, women work 20% more than men (102 minutes a day) and in urban areas women work 5% more than men (20 minutes a day). These statistics do not necessarily reflect the often-lopsided gender division of domestic duties such as child rearing, cleaning, shopping, and other domestic duties such as personal accounting and administration. Women in general and in the work force experience significantly higher levels of exploitation, oppression, harassment, violence, violation, retaliation, are responsible for fewer decisions, and earn much less than their male counter parts. In the United States women experience the glass ceiling 84% more than men do. Only 16% of all executives in the United States are women. Strangely, the market fails to consider that women make nearly 70% of all private purchases made in the United States, including automobiles and technology.
On a global economic/business level, industry and business greatly benefit by having women in the work force. Not only do women work more, work harder, do more menial jobs, but also on a whole they are paid much less, which inevitably increases the bottom line profit margin for businesses across the globe. The most disturbing aspect of this analysis is that women put up with unequal pay and oppressive treatment in the guise of “making forward progress.” To quote a long standing advertisement slogan, “You’ve come a long way baby!” It is disgusting. Currently, women are just as much to blame as the businesses and men who oppress them. It is time for women to put a stop to this unfair treatment and continued oppression at the hands of men, other women, and an unbalanced society.
Feminism has lead to an interesting mix of liberation and continued oppression of women. In most places in the world, women are free to work and gain an education, and in many cases they have no choice in the matter. Yet, feminism also set women up for even more oppression, harassment, violence, and frustration through that employment and education. I am not saying that these conditions did not exist before feminism, because, of course they have always existed. This second-class citizenship for women has existed since men decided to dominate women and swing society from matriarchal to patriarchal systems of governance and control. Simone de Beauvoir illustrated this very well in her book, The Second Sex. She discussed the oppression of women in great detail. She argued that men chose to dominate women for the specific purpose of creating a patriarchal society, and their method was to create the myth of woman as the emotional, hormonal, incapable, unintelligent, weaker sex: a woman couldn’t be understood by a man so it is better to dismiss her and control her than to deal with her. This tactic worked quite well and it continues to work in nearly every society in the world.
It is amazing to think that just 150 years ago, most women were not even considered citizens or people for that matter. In many places in the world they still are not. I guess we should be happy at how far women have come, but I for one, am not. Yes, I am thankful for my education and for my employment, however unequal my work and pay are to my male counter parts. But, I think it is a disgrace to the United States, to men, to women, and to all humanity, that in 2010, in America, women are still unequal, still fighting an uphill and thankless battle for gender equality. The Scandinavian countries including Iceland have the best record for gender equality and they also top the lists for education, happiness, and for quality of living standards. These countries demand equality by enforced laws and the citizens happily embrace equality as the only logical political and economic system.*
* Norwegian gender equality policies attract attention partly because of Norway’s relatively high birth rate (top five in Europe). Having a strong female professional participation and top score on gender equality while still maintaining birth rates is made possible much thanks to the legislation in Norway:
• All big companies must have 40% representation of both genders in their board.
• The Gender Equality Act prohibits all discrimination on grounds of gender.
• Parents are entitled to one year leave after birth, and the parents can divide this between them as they wish. Six weeks are reserved for the father.
• Government ensures full day care coverage
An employee with small children has the right to flexible working hours, regardless of gender.
Norway: - Gender Equality is Smart Politics
http://www.norwayun.org/NorwayandUN/Selected_Topics/Gender_Equality/030209_CSWAHintro/
Cauchon, Dennis. Women Gain and Men Lose Jobs,
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-09-02-womenwork_N.htm
www.ilo.org (International Labor Organization)
Ten Surprising Statistics About Women in the Workplace, Feb 15, 2010
http://collegetimes.us/10-surprising-statistics-on-women-in-the-workplace/
The United Nations Human Development Report 2004
http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/hdr04_complete.pdf
The Global Gender Gap Report 2009
http://www.weforum.org/en/Communities/Women
The greatest contributing factor of the feminist movement to the global economy has been the rapid increase of the labor pool, and a cheaper labor in general. At the beginning of the last century, only 1% of workers worldwide were female. Between the 1970’s and 2000, that number rose to about 45%. In 2010, 49.83% of all workers in the United States are female and 50% of all workers worldwide are female. With the great increase of viable workers, most areas of commerce exponentially grew. Fewer men needed to work in agriculture, education, service, and sales, which meant more men could work in manufacturing and manufacturing could experience significant growth. Now, in nearly every field, there are basically equal numbers of each gender employed. There are a few industries such as heavy construction and manufacturing that experience vast occupational segregation and imbalance, but for the most part, things are divided fairly equally.
Feminism has not ushered in equality throughout the majority of the world. Employers worldwide, the United States included, still continue to exploit and subjugate women. In 99% of all fields, women earn less money for doing exactly the same job. Statistics vary, but on average the American female worker earns between 69% and 73% of what a male worker earns according to the US Census. My favorite way to illustrate this point is follows: If a female student and a male student take exactly the same multiple choice exam and they both answer every question correctly, the male would receive a grade of 100% and the female would receive a grade of 69-73%. He would get an A+ and She would get a D+ or a C- at best. Is that fair? No, of course it is not, but it happens every day, all over the world, in business.
The United Nations Human Development Report 2004 shows that in rural areas, women work 20% more than men (102 minutes a day) and in urban areas women work 5% more than men (20 minutes a day). These statistics do not necessarily reflect the often-lopsided gender division of domestic duties such as child rearing, cleaning, shopping, and other domestic duties such as personal accounting and administration. Women in general and in the work force experience significantly higher levels of exploitation, oppression, harassment, violence, violation, retaliation, are responsible for fewer decisions, and earn much less than their male counter parts. In the United States women experience the glass ceiling 84% more than men do. Only 16% of all executives in the United States are women. Strangely, the market fails to consider that women make nearly 70% of all private purchases made in the United States, including automobiles and technology.
On a global economic/business level, industry and business greatly benefit by having women in the work force. Not only do women work more, work harder, do more menial jobs, but also on a whole they are paid much less, which inevitably increases the bottom line profit margin for businesses across the globe. The most disturbing aspect of this analysis is that women put up with unequal pay and oppressive treatment in the guise of “making forward progress.” To quote a long standing advertisement slogan, “You’ve come a long way baby!” It is disgusting. Currently, women are just as much to blame as the businesses and men who oppress them. It is time for women to put a stop to this unfair treatment and continued oppression at the hands of men, other women, and an unbalanced society.
Feminism has lead to an interesting mix of liberation and continued oppression of women. In most places in the world, women are free to work and gain an education, and in many cases they have no choice in the matter. Yet, feminism also set women up for even more oppression, harassment, violence, and frustration through that employment and education. I am not saying that these conditions did not exist before feminism, because, of course they have always existed. This second-class citizenship for women has existed since men decided to dominate women and swing society from matriarchal to patriarchal systems of governance and control. Simone de Beauvoir illustrated this very well in her book, The Second Sex. She discussed the oppression of women in great detail. She argued that men chose to dominate women for the specific purpose of creating a patriarchal society, and their method was to create the myth of woman as the emotional, hormonal, incapable, unintelligent, weaker sex: a woman couldn’t be understood by a man so it is better to dismiss her and control her than to deal with her. This tactic worked quite well and it continues to work in nearly every society in the world.
It is amazing to think that just 150 years ago, most women were not even considered citizens or people for that matter. In many places in the world they still are not. I guess we should be happy at how far women have come, but I for one, am not. Yes, I am thankful for my education and for my employment, however unequal my work and pay are to my male counter parts. But, I think it is a disgrace to the United States, to men, to women, and to all humanity, that in 2010, in America, women are still unequal, still fighting an uphill and thankless battle for gender equality. The Scandinavian countries including Iceland have the best record for gender equality and they also top the lists for education, happiness, and for quality of living standards. These countries demand equality by enforced laws and the citizens happily embrace equality as the only logical political and economic system.*
* Norwegian gender equality policies attract attention partly because of Norway’s relatively high birth rate (top five in Europe). Having a strong female professional participation and top score on gender equality while still maintaining birth rates is made possible much thanks to the legislation in Norway:
• All big companies must have 40% representation of both genders in their board.
• The Gender Equality Act prohibits all discrimination on grounds of gender.
• Parents are entitled to one year leave after birth, and the parents can divide this between them as they wish. Six weeks are reserved for the father.
• Government ensures full day care coverage
An employee with small children has the right to flexible working hours, regardless of gender.
Norway: - Gender Equality is Smart Politics
http://www.norwayun.org/NorwayandUN/Selected_Topics/Gender_Equality/030209_CSWAHintro/
Cauchon, Dennis. Women Gain and Men Lose Jobs,
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-09-02-womenwork_N.htm
www.ilo.org (International Labor Organization)
Ten Surprising Statistics About Women in the Workplace, Feb 15, 2010
http://collegetimes.us/10-surprising-statistics-on-women-in-the-workplace/
The United Nations Human Development Report 2004
http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/hdr04_complete.pdf
The Global Gender Gap Report 2009
http://www.weforum.org/en/Communities/Women
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Business Ethics Final Exam Question 1/Answer...
1. Some may assume that the values of Democracy are consistent with the values of free-market Capitalism. Others would deny such relevance. Armatya Sen provides a compelling argument for the universal appeal to Democracy, and claims that economic growth works best when melded with democratic principles. The question is, is Democracy a necessary condition for there to be economic growth, or is rather merely sufficient?
I do not believe that Democracy is a necessary condition for there to be economic growth. It may seem as though Democracy is consistent with free market Capitalism, but it isn’t necessarily so. While, from the western point of view, Democracy may seem like a universal value, it is not now, nor has it ever been valued universally.
The obvious case in point is China. The Communist Party of China wields vast and strict control over all areas of life in China including religion, communication, entertainment, education, labor, and politics, however they have relinquished small amounts of control over economy, industry and agriculture. China began moving toward economic liberation in the 1970’s under the unofficial rule of Deng Xiaopeng after the death of Chairman Mao in 1976. Deng Xiaopeng astutely moved the Soviet style planned economy into a more functional mixed economy under the one party rule. This system is termed Market Socialism. The transition first occurred in Special Economic Zones set up to experiment with pseudo-private ownership of agriculture to estimate if there were increases in productivity. The increase was dramatic enough for the government to extend the idea of pseudo-private property ownership to manufacturing as well. Although there is privatized industry, it is strongly controlled and regulated by the single party government.
The result of this economic liberation is that China has become the fastest growing major economy. China is the largest exporter and the second largest importer of goods. China’s economy has averaged 10% growth annually since 1981. The poverty rate in China has moved from 53% in 1981 to just 8% in 2001, which is extraordinary considering the population is estimated to be around 1,338,613,000. The standard of living is lower than that in the United States. The current poverty rate in the United States falls between 13 and 17%. According to the World Bank website, China is the third largest economy behind the United States and Japan. The Gross Domestic Product of China is slated to surpass that of the United States by 2027. In January of this year, China co-founded the Association of South East Asia or the Asean 6 Free Trade Zone, comprised of six countries and over 2 billion people. It is the largest free trade zone in the world.
The United States established their “economic engagement” policy toward China in 2000. This policy allows for trade with an otherwise closed country. When the United States granted China basic trading rights, it was with the hope that China would gradually lean toward democracy as a result of the influx of international (US) money and western cultural influence. The Chinese government relaxed travel restrictions both in and out of China. The Chinese became aware of the outside world and the Communist Party of China could only censor the inflowing information and news so much. Ten years later, the hope of democracy in China has not been realized, to the disappointment of the United States and most of the western world. This is largely in part to Chinese Nationalism, which is greatly misunderstood and underestimated. That, coupled with the rapid industrialization of industry and the enormous decrease in poverty, has only strengthened Nationalism. Communism is stronger than ever in China, and with the general increase in the quality of life, there is less and less resistance toward the communist government. China has become a major economic superpower without Democracy; therefore Democracy is not a necessary condition for economic growth.
Shirk, Susan. China, Fragile Superpower, Oxford University Press, New York, 2007
Spence, Jonathan, The Search for Modern China, Norton & Company, New York, 1999
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ch.html/China
I do not believe that Democracy is a necessary condition for there to be economic growth. It may seem as though Democracy is consistent with free market Capitalism, but it isn’t necessarily so. While, from the western point of view, Democracy may seem like a universal value, it is not now, nor has it ever been valued universally.
The obvious case in point is China. The Communist Party of China wields vast and strict control over all areas of life in China including religion, communication, entertainment, education, labor, and politics, however they have relinquished small amounts of control over economy, industry and agriculture. China began moving toward economic liberation in the 1970’s under the unofficial rule of Deng Xiaopeng after the death of Chairman Mao in 1976. Deng Xiaopeng astutely moved the Soviet style planned economy into a more functional mixed economy under the one party rule. This system is termed Market Socialism. The transition first occurred in Special Economic Zones set up to experiment with pseudo-private ownership of agriculture to estimate if there were increases in productivity. The increase was dramatic enough for the government to extend the idea of pseudo-private property ownership to manufacturing as well. Although there is privatized industry, it is strongly controlled and regulated by the single party government.
The result of this economic liberation is that China has become the fastest growing major economy. China is the largest exporter and the second largest importer of goods. China’s economy has averaged 10% growth annually since 1981. The poverty rate in China has moved from 53% in 1981 to just 8% in 2001, which is extraordinary considering the population is estimated to be around 1,338,613,000. The standard of living is lower than that in the United States. The current poverty rate in the United States falls between 13 and 17%. According to the World Bank website, China is the third largest economy behind the United States and Japan. The Gross Domestic Product of China is slated to surpass that of the United States by 2027. In January of this year, China co-founded the Association of South East Asia or the Asean 6 Free Trade Zone, comprised of six countries and over 2 billion people. It is the largest free trade zone in the world.
The United States established their “economic engagement” policy toward China in 2000. This policy allows for trade with an otherwise closed country. When the United States granted China basic trading rights, it was with the hope that China would gradually lean toward democracy as a result of the influx of international (US) money and western cultural influence. The Chinese government relaxed travel restrictions both in and out of China. The Chinese became aware of the outside world and the Communist Party of China could only censor the inflowing information and news so much. Ten years later, the hope of democracy in China has not been realized, to the disappointment of the United States and most of the western world. This is largely in part to Chinese Nationalism, which is greatly misunderstood and underestimated. That, coupled with the rapid industrialization of industry and the enormous decrease in poverty, has only strengthened Nationalism. Communism is stronger than ever in China, and with the general increase in the quality of life, there is less and less resistance toward the communist government. China has become a major economic superpower without Democracy; therefore Democracy is not a necessary condition for economic growth.
Shirk, Susan. China, Fragile Superpower, Oxford University Press, New York, 2007
Spence, Jonathan, The Search for Modern China, Norton & Company, New York, 1999
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ch.html/China
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Changes
My ode to my dead computer, not backing everything up,
my dreams, getting out of school......
looking for a better job, and for love, and for sanity...
Sheryl always has the right words!
Ten years living in a paper bag
Feedback baby, he's a flipped out cat
He's a platinum canary, drinkin' falstaff beer
Mercedes rule, and a rented lear
Bottom feeder insincere
Prophet lo-fi pioneer
Sell the house and go to school
Get a young girlfriend, daddy's jewel
A change would do you good
A change would do you good
God's little gift is on the rag
Poster girl posing in a fashion mag
Canine, feline, jekyll and hyde
Wear your fake fur on the inside
Queen of south beach, aging blues
Dinner's at six, wear your cement shoes
I thought you were singing your heart out to me
Your lips were syncing and now I see
A change would do you good
A change would do you good
Chasing dragons with plastic swords
Jack off jimmy, everybody wants more
Scully and angel on the kitchen floor
And I'm calling buddy on the ouija board
I've been thinking 'bout catching a train
Leave my phone machine by the radar range
Hello it's me, I'm not at home
If you'd like to reach me, leave me alone
A change would do you good
A change would do you good
Hello, it's me, I'm not at home
If you'd like to reach me, leave me alone
A change would do you good
A change would do you good
--Sheryl Crow
my dreams, getting out of school......
looking for a better job, and for love, and for sanity...
Sheryl always has the right words!
Ten years living in a paper bag
Feedback baby, he's a flipped out cat
He's a platinum canary, drinkin' falstaff beer
Mercedes rule, and a rented lear
Bottom feeder insincere
Prophet lo-fi pioneer
Sell the house and go to school
Get a young girlfriend, daddy's jewel
A change would do you good
A change would do you good
God's little gift is on the rag
Poster girl posing in a fashion mag
Canine, feline, jekyll and hyde
Wear your fake fur on the inside
Queen of south beach, aging blues
Dinner's at six, wear your cement shoes
I thought you were singing your heart out to me
Your lips were syncing and now I see
A change would do you good
A change would do you good
Chasing dragons with plastic swords
Jack off jimmy, everybody wants more
Scully and angel on the kitchen floor
And I'm calling buddy on the ouija board
I've been thinking 'bout catching a train
Leave my phone machine by the radar range
Hello it's me, I'm not at home
If you'd like to reach me, leave me alone
A change would do you good
A change would do you good
Hello, it's me, I'm not at home
If you'd like to reach me, leave me alone
A change would do you good
A change would do you good
--Sheryl Crow
Monday, August 17, 2009
My First day of my Last Semester
Today is the first day of my last semester...love the way that sounds.
Yesterday, I returned to Denver from my two week west coast tour with the Spanish Wine Academy...I have never been more exhausted. I had an incredible time and learned more in two weeks than I could in a semester at college.
That said...I am completely unprepared for classes today...and I must have senioritis because I don't really care...I am sure that will change by the end of the week.
Dreading my french classes and my algebra class...I guess I saved the worst for last..lol..
I am trying to figure out when and how I am going to learn Spanish...working for a Spanish company has presented the opportunity to work for several other Spanish companies...why did I just take three years of French?!?
Yesterday, I returned to Denver from my two week west coast tour with the Spanish Wine Academy...I have never been more exhausted. I had an incredible time and learned more in two weeks than I could in a semester at college.
That said...I am completely unprepared for classes today...and I must have senioritis because I don't really care...I am sure that will change by the end of the week.
Dreading my french classes and my algebra class...I guess I saved the worst for last..lol..
I am trying to figure out when and how I am going to learn Spanish...working for a Spanish company has presented the opportunity to work for several other Spanish companies...why did I just take three years of French?!?
Sunday, April 26, 2009
A Literary Salon
I have always wanted to be a member of a literary salon. I am not just talking about an ordinary book club where lonely gals get together to drink wine and commiserate about their lives. I am talking about a salon like the ones hosted by the literati and their hangers on during the high periods of European culture. Often, the mistress of some powerful official or the wife of a professor would host the event. She would invite an interesting mix of educated men and women and they would sit around her salon, sipping on wine and puffing on cigarettes, and discuss the important topics of the day from the latest philosophy to the most scandalous politics. How delicious it must have been to be so completely intellectually stimulated and challenged.
Modern technology and our extremely busy schedules are increasing the isolationism in our country. People no longer gather to discuss and debate much of anything. I can’t even gather my girlfriends once a month for brunch! People no longer have time for a conversation. The newspapers are faltering, giving way to online sources, television spoof news, and info-blogs. Students were once at the forefront of the discussion, and yet, most that I meet know nothing of the headlines today. The average twenty-three minute network evening news consists of six minutes of sports, six minutes of weather, seven minutes of entertainment or local happenings, which leaves just two minutes for world news. I never bother watching anything but the weather. I read the New York Times and BBC World News online edition. I also check the Montreal Gazette and Le Monde at least once a week. But, I have no one to discuss it with. What good is news that cannot be shared or debated?
Putting my modern technology to good use, I found two interesting Meet Up groups in my area. The first one is a French club. It has 296 members and small groups meet several times a month. I’d like to give it a try. I need to practice my speaking and listening skills. I often have difficulty deciphering spoken French…it is so dang fast! The French meet up doesn’t have any scheduled meetings for May. The other group I have heard of before. The group was founded in 2004 and has nearly 200 members. It is poetically labeled the Socrates Café due to the philosophical nature of the discussions. That could be very interesting and very intellectually stimulating. The next meeting is on May 7th. I will plan on going to check it out. Hopefully, it will be just the thing to cure my craving.
Modern technology and our extremely busy schedules are increasing the isolationism in our country. People no longer gather to discuss and debate much of anything. I can’t even gather my girlfriends once a month for brunch! People no longer have time for a conversation. The newspapers are faltering, giving way to online sources, television spoof news, and info-blogs. Students were once at the forefront of the discussion, and yet, most that I meet know nothing of the headlines today. The average twenty-three minute network evening news consists of six minutes of sports, six minutes of weather, seven minutes of entertainment or local happenings, which leaves just two minutes for world news. I never bother watching anything but the weather. I read the New York Times and BBC World News online edition. I also check the Montreal Gazette and Le Monde at least once a week. But, I have no one to discuss it with. What good is news that cannot be shared or debated?
Putting my modern technology to good use, I found two interesting Meet Up groups in my area. The first one is a French club. It has 296 members and small groups meet several times a month. I’d like to give it a try. I need to practice my speaking and listening skills. I often have difficulty deciphering spoken French…it is so dang fast! The French meet up doesn’t have any scheduled meetings for May. The other group I have heard of before. The group was founded in 2004 and has nearly 200 members. It is poetically labeled the Socrates Café due to the philosophical nature of the discussions. That could be very interesting and very intellectually stimulating. The next meeting is on May 7th. I will plan on going to check it out. Hopefully, it will be just the thing to cure my craving.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Rant about College!
I am forty years old and a college senior and I can tell you from personal experience that college is a necessary joke. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE learning and I love school.
It is completely absurd the time and money I am spending on a degree to move myself beyond the glass ceiling. I am not really learning anything that I didn't already know and I have a 4.0/4.0 GPA.
Most of the students don't care at all because "D is for degree!" I feel extremely sorry for teachers and professors working at the college level. Young people can't even read and write...but...they can all text and they know every celebrity scandal.
I have taken classes in subjects that I will never use or think about again, but was forced to take because they were required.
I have taken several classes where I actually knew more about the topic than the instructor.
I have spent thousands of dollars on grossly overpriced text books, not to mention the ridiculous athletic fees, club fees, computer lab fees and fees for things I have never and will never use.
I constantly have instructors who use the term, "In the real world," which always leaves me thinking, "When have you ever been in the real world?" Academia is not preparing anyone for the rigors and realities of the real world. But, the only way to get ahead is to play the game…because, the bosses of the world have and they expect you to have gone through a similar experience. It shows you can commit to something just a foolish as they did, just to get ahead.
The American education system is severely outdated an ineffective. Nevertheless, I am happy and thankful to be nearly finished with my degree because I understand all too well that it is a necessity in this modern workforce if I ever want to move beyond the entry level or middle management levels of the service or any other industry!
It is completely absurd the time and money I am spending on a degree to move myself beyond the glass ceiling. I am not really learning anything that I didn't already know and I have a 4.0/4.0 GPA.
Most of the students don't care at all because "D is for degree!" I feel extremely sorry for teachers and professors working at the college level. Young people can't even read and write...but...they can all text and they know every celebrity scandal.
I have taken classes in subjects that I will never use or think about again, but was forced to take because they were required.
I have taken several classes where I actually knew more about the topic than the instructor.
I have spent thousands of dollars on grossly overpriced text books, not to mention the ridiculous athletic fees, club fees, computer lab fees and fees for things I have never and will never use.
I constantly have instructors who use the term, "In the real world," which always leaves me thinking, "When have you ever been in the real world?" Academia is not preparing anyone for the rigors and realities of the real world. But, the only way to get ahead is to play the game…because, the bosses of the world have and they expect you to have gone through a similar experience. It shows you can commit to something just a foolish as they did, just to get ahead.
The American education system is severely outdated an ineffective. Nevertheless, I am happy and thankful to be nearly finished with my degree because I understand all too well that it is a necessity in this modern workforce if I ever want to move beyond the entry level or middle management levels of the service or any other industry!
Monday, March 23, 2009
Free from my recent past
Well, it seems it is time to reinvent myself, once again…
I suppose it is normal. I just had a birthday, and I am in a reflective mood. I feel like sorting out my life and getting rid of old clothes, shoes that don’t fit, friends that are not friends, and situations that are toxic to my growth and happiness. I guess it is spring-cleaning.
I am planning on sorting out my closet on Monday. I invited some very opinionated ladies over to help me. I know that they will give me their honest opinions about what should stay and what should go. Sometimes it is difficult to let go of clothes…they carry memories and monetary value…my plan is to pare my wardrobe down to a small selection of perfectly constructed, perfectly fitted, and perfectly versatile clothes….European girl style. Every piece will go with every piece and it will all flow. The clothes themselves will act as a canvas for me; showcasing my figure, personality, and style. And they will be a canvas for the cool accessories and jewelry I own.
I, like most American girls, simply have too many choices in my closet and it is overwhelming, so I end up wearing jeans and tee shirts or sweaters on most days. It is too complicated to pull something out and then find something to wear with it. For example; if I select an olive green pencil skirt I am limited on what top I can put with it…it usually ends up being one of a dozen black tee shirts. Why a dozen black tee shirts? Because they are simple!
I have beautiful shoes that don’t really go with any of my clothes. I have gorgeous scarves and accessories. I don’t have a really great handbag. I have a couple of cool handbags but not a really great, super functional bag.
Cleaning out my life of toxic situations may be trickier than cleaning out my closet. I am very disillusioned with my job at the Wine Loft. I was initially thrilled to win the job lottery so to speak and become the Wine Director but I quickly learned I was working for amateurs with no sense of style or taste. Every move I made was micro managed, second guessed, and diminished. The owner is an indecisive alcoholic and the GM may very well have ADD or just pot induced short-term memory issues. Time to extricate myself from that high drama situation. For the past 6 months it has been a battle of authority, ego, and indecision, a constant back and forth. I never knew if I was the Wine Director or not…I never knew where I stood. It’s funny how you never really know how unhealthy a situation is until you are out. Just like any other bad relationship.
I suppose it is normal. I just had a birthday, and I am in a reflective mood. I feel like sorting out my life and getting rid of old clothes, shoes that don’t fit, friends that are not friends, and situations that are toxic to my growth and happiness. I guess it is spring-cleaning.
I am planning on sorting out my closet on Monday. I invited some very opinionated ladies over to help me. I know that they will give me their honest opinions about what should stay and what should go. Sometimes it is difficult to let go of clothes…they carry memories and monetary value…my plan is to pare my wardrobe down to a small selection of perfectly constructed, perfectly fitted, and perfectly versatile clothes….European girl style. Every piece will go with every piece and it will all flow. The clothes themselves will act as a canvas for me; showcasing my figure, personality, and style. And they will be a canvas for the cool accessories and jewelry I own.
I, like most American girls, simply have too many choices in my closet and it is overwhelming, so I end up wearing jeans and tee shirts or sweaters on most days. It is too complicated to pull something out and then find something to wear with it. For example; if I select an olive green pencil skirt I am limited on what top I can put with it…it usually ends up being one of a dozen black tee shirts. Why a dozen black tee shirts? Because they are simple!
I have beautiful shoes that don’t really go with any of my clothes. I have gorgeous scarves and accessories. I don’t have a really great handbag. I have a couple of cool handbags but not a really great, super functional bag.
Cleaning out my life of toxic situations may be trickier than cleaning out my closet. I am very disillusioned with my job at the Wine Loft. I was initially thrilled to win the job lottery so to speak and become the Wine Director but I quickly learned I was working for amateurs with no sense of style or taste. Every move I made was micro managed, second guessed, and diminished. The owner is an indecisive alcoholic and the GM may very well have ADD or just pot induced short-term memory issues. Time to extricate myself from that high drama situation. For the past 6 months it has been a battle of authority, ego, and indecision, a constant back and forth. I never knew if I was the Wine Director or not…I never knew where I stood. It’s funny how you never really know how unhealthy a situation is until you are out. Just like any other bad relationship.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
What would it be like to move away to another city and become someone else?
What would it be like to move away to another city and become someone else?
Where would I go and what would I become? How would I look? How would I smell, and speak, and walk, and strut? What would I wear? What would I do? What would my home look like, my car, my kids? What would I take with me and what would I leave behind?
These are questions I ask myself quite often. Not because I want to run away from who I am but just because I am curious.
When I envision myself living my fantasy life it doesn’t look that different from my life now. My clothes are perfect, elegant, and classic. A look I have never been truly able to pull off without feeling like I am playing dress up. The black crepe sheath dress with pearls, black patent leather pumps, and a French twist. I wear it and I look great but I always end up looking a little bit messy rather than cool elegance. I will never be Grace Kelly. In my fantasy I am always just a little bit thinner. I have a great hourglass figure and that sheath dress looks better on a thinner girl.
My house always has giant, nearly floor to ceiling windows with an open floor plan and seems to be an apartment overlooking a magnificent skyline of some gorgeous city like Paris or New York. It’s a three story Brownstone because I always have a yard and a garden. The top floor is where my living area and my bed are and the middle floor is for entertaining and dining. I never see the first floor but it leads to my yard and my garage. My furniture is mine but I have reupholstered my love seat and refinished some of the worn and tattered pieces I own. My art and my books are everywhere but more orderly. I have a claw foot tub and the perfect bathroom near my bed and a very large walk in closet that may actually be an entire room. It’s not full of clothes but the one’s I have are beautifully displayed. Flowers are everywhere. It smells divine in my entire home. My kids have their own beds and the cat has a cool maze of walkways build just below the ceiling…the ultimate collection of pathways, platforms, and little caves to keep him entertained. The dog has the most cushy bed near mine and a large toy box full of his favorite things.
Everyone knows me in my neighborhood from the guy who sells me my coffee to the lady who picks the prettiest bouquets just for me. It is a community inside a city just the way I like it.
I spend my days reading and writing or wandering through my neighborhood with my dog and a coffee in my hand. I spend my evenings entertaining or talking to people about wine. I can see myself in a very cool little wine bar listening to music and talking to people about my latest fascination. I feel the love of a man and see myself in his arms but I can never see his face. I wonder if that part of the dream is real.
It’s funny as I write these words I have to admit that this is basically how my life is now. Except for the description of my home I am pretty much describing the way I live my life. I suppose that is a really good thing. Houses and dresses can be changed. Changing an entire life is much more difficult. I am pretty happy with mine and the things in my fantasy are not that far out of my reach.
Where would I go and what would I become? How would I look? How would I smell, and speak, and walk, and strut? What would I wear? What would I do? What would my home look like, my car, my kids? What would I take with me and what would I leave behind?
These are questions I ask myself quite often. Not because I want to run away from who I am but just because I am curious.
When I envision myself living my fantasy life it doesn’t look that different from my life now. My clothes are perfect, elegant, and classic. A look I have never been truly able to pull off without feeling like I am playing dress up. The black crepe sheath dress with pearls, black patent leather pumps, and a French twist. I wear it and I look great but I always end up looking a little bit messy rather than cool elegance. I will never be Grace Kelly. In my fantasy I am always just a little bit thinner. I have a great hourglass figure and that sheath dress looks better on a thinner girl.
My house always has giant, nearly floor to ceiling windows with an open floor plan and seems to be an apartment overlooking a magnificent skyline of some gorgeous city like Paris or New York. It’s a three story Brownstone because I always have a yard and a garden. The top floor is where my living area and my bed are and the middle floor is for entertaining and dining. I never see the first floor but it leads to my yard and my garage. My furniture is mine but I have reupholstered my love seat and refinished some of the worn and tattered pieces I own. My art and my books are everywhere but more orderly. I have a claw foot tub and the perfect bathroom near my bed and a very large walk in closet that may actually be an entire room. It’s not full of clothes but the one’s I have are beautifully displayed. Flowers are everywhere. It smells divine in my entire home. My kids have their own beds and the cat has a cool maze of walkways build just below the ceiling…the ultimate collection of pathways, platforms, and little caves to keep him entertained. The dog has the most cushy bed near mine and a large toy box full of his favorite things.
Everyone knows me in my neighborhood from the guy who sells me my coffee to the lady who picks the prettiest bouquets just for me. It is a community inside a city just the way I like it.
I spend my days reading and writing or wandering through my neighborhood with my dog and a coffee in my hand. I spend my evenings entertaining or talking to people about wine. I can see myself in a very cool little wine bar listening to music and talking to people about my latest fascination. I feel the love of a man and see myself in his arms but I can never see his face. I wonder if that part of the dream is real.
It’s funny as I write these words I have to admit that this is basically how my life is now. Except for the description of my home I am pretty much describing the way I live my life. I suppose that is a really good thing. Houses and dresses can be changed. Changing an entire life is much more difficult. I am pretty happy with mine and the things in my fantasy are not that far out of my reach.
Masters of wine
I spent the weekend learning at the feet of five Masters and my life is changed.
A few weeks ago I was nominated to take the Court of Master Sommeliers first level course. I didn’t have to pay the regular fees. The course was this weekend. When I arrived, I found my place front row and center. If I am going to learn I might as well be an active participant. I settled in with a cup of coffee and a light breakfast of fruit. I brought my World Atlas of Wine and a stack of pens. I take notes like crazy.
About 30 minutes later, I recognized Doug Krenik, a MS that I’ve met several times before. He was at a table with Bobby Stuckey MS and the owner of Frasca. I’ve met Bobby too. There were two other men with them. I learned shortly thereafter that they were Jay Fletcher and the much-esteemed Richard Betts. I’d met Richard before but he looked different…slim, content, and sparkling. The room was filed with charisma and a certain private hi-jinx. These men obviously know each other well and are used to joking around with each other.
The lectures were a mixture of review and further detail but the blind tastings were amazing. These men went through the technique in such a detailed manner that it simply becomes an exercise in deductive reasoning. I gave the first one a shot--in front of 100 people…and I got much of it right…the other three wines I attempted I got right. Honestly, I got most of the wines; climate, country, region, and varietals right and most of the vintages right. I feel pretty damned good about that.
I had conversations with these men and interacted in a very professional and educated manner. WOW. They treated me as a peer, as someone who may be an equal someday soon. Now, more than ever, I want to be.
I was professionally validated!!! Inspired to continue the sometimes thankless path of wine studies. It is endless, forever changing, and contradictory. But, I love it. I love the history, geography, geology, agriculture, cultural traditions, and even the dull economics of it all. There is so much in each bottle of wine and in each glass it is truly an amazing expression of each of these things.
A few weeks ago I was nominated to take the Court of Master Sommeliers first level course. I didn’t have to pay the regular fees. The course was this weekend. When I arrived, I found my place front row and center. If I am going to learn I might as well be an active participant. I settled in with a cup of coffee and a light breakfast of fruit. I brought my World Atlas of Wine and a stack of pens. I take notes like crazy.
About 30 minutes later, I recognized Doug Krenik, a MS that I’ve met several times before. He was at a table with Bobby Stuckey MS and the owner of Frasca. I’ve met Bobby too. There were two other men with them. I learned shortly thereafter that they were Jay Fletcher and the much-esteemed Richard Betts. I’d met Richard before but he looked different…slim, content, and sparkling. The room was filed with charisma and a certain private hi-jinx. These men obviously know each other well and are used to joking around with each other.
The lectures were a mixture of review and further detail but the blind tastings were amazing. These men went through the technique in such a detailed manner that it simply becomes an exercise in deductive reasoning. I gave the first one a shot--in front of 100 people…and I got much of it right…the other three wines I attempted I got right. Honestly, I got most of the wines; climate, country, region, and varietals right and most of the vintages right. I feel pretty damned good about that.
I had conversations with these men and interacted in a very professional and educated manner. WOW. They treated me as a peer, as someone who may be an equal someday soon. Now, more than ever, I want to be.
I was professionally validated!!! Inspired to continue the sometimes thankless path of wine studies. It is endless, forever changing, and contradictory. But, I love it. I love the history, geography, geology, agriculture, cultural traditions, and even the dull economics of it all. There is so much in each bottle of wine and in each glass it is truly an amazing expression of each of these things.
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