From the title, it's safe to say that I'm not shedding any tears over the departure of 2010. This year was a chastening one, from the three-day-a-month furloughs for California state government employees to the death of two cousins (brothers) to the theft of my car hood.
It wasn't all bad, though. I went to a convention this summer in San Diego. I sang in two choral groups -- the Tony Baldwin Chorale and the Solano Chamber Society, which performed the "Messiah." My mammogram was clear. I saw friends I haven't seen in years (my fault!). And I reaffirmed that some of my best friends are like sisters, and my siblings are among my best friends.
This year taught me hard lessons about tightening my belt and that many state workers have a second gig. I'm starting mine in January -- an editing business focusing on college papers and resumes, then branching out. I have to have more than one source of income to survive these days.
Money permitting, I'm returning to ballroom dancing and more singles activities. I want to have a life in addition to work, church, and visiting my family.
And I will continue writing until I can't form a sentence or my fingers stop working.
May 2011 be much better to everyone than this year.
Writing Diva
Friday, December 31, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Why I'm Not Putting up a Christmas Tree
Readers, before you accuse me of having a "Bah! Humbug!" attitude toward this holiday season, please know that I love Christmas.
It's just that I won't put up a Christmas tree.
That's not to say I've never put up a tree. When I lived in Walnut Creek in the mid-1990s, I put up live Christmas trees. Usually the tree was no more than 5 feet high because I lived alone and had to bring it home by myself. I made the tree my own, with glass ornaments and ornaments of the early 1960s Barbie, teddy bears, and Disney's versions of Winnie the Pooh and Tigger. I decorated the tree with miniature colored lights and a tinsel garland. The tree was in a corner of my dining area near the window where others could see it.
When I adopted my first cat Tuff-Punk in 2004, I realized that putting up a Christmas tree was no longer an option. He would bat the ornaments and try to remove the tinsel garland with his teeth. Moreover, he would try to eat the Douglas fir needles. I resigned myself to putting a wreath on my door and letting that be the end of it.
Three years ago, I bought an 18-inch fake tree that looks like a reject from "A Charlie Brown Christmas." But I was proud of having a tree and put it on my piano. I was happy -- until my other cat, Diva, climbed atop the piano and knocked the tree over. She thought knocking over my holiday decoration was a game. Sighing, I put the tree back in the upstairs storage area I call the "Shag Room." (More on that in a future post.)
The new "Simon's Cat" cartoon (http://www.simonscat.com/santaclaws.html) prompted me to write this entry. I remind myself that Christmas isn't always about decorations. It's about the birth of Christ and the love of friends and family, even if your family includes furry friends.
Writing Diva
Friday, October 29, 2010
A Mean Trick
I was going to write about going out and voting between now and Tuesday. However, a thief or more made other plans.
I got off my commuter bus at a Vacaville park-and-ride parking lot and walked to my car. I was tired and thought, "Three days gone, two to go."
When I arrived at my car, there was no hood. That's right, no hood.
At first, I didn't think it was my car. But it was a red 1995 Honda Civic. My stuff was still in there. The Club anti-theft device was still on the steering wheel.
For a moment I stood there in shock. Then, I got in the car to see if it would start. Thank goodness, it did. Then I called the police to report the theft of my hood. Five minutes later, I drove home.
Also thank goodness it wasn't raining hard, otherwise I think my engine would have been damaged.
I have been on the phone the past two days with my auto insurance company about the theft. The earliest that a claims adjuster would be out to see my car is in six days. In the meantime, I have to rent a car, which I'm claiming for reimbursement with my insurance company.
Oh, if you buy auto insurance based on how much it costs, you know the adage: You get what you pay for.
I just hope to keep my car running for another two years until I can get another used Honda. As for the losers who stole my hood: Karma is a witch, and she will kick your butts, cackling as she does it!
Writing Diva
I got off my commuter bus at a Vacaville park-and-ride parking lot and walked to my car. I was tired and thought, "Three days gone, two to go."
When I arrived at my car, there was no hood. That's right, no hood.
At first, I didn't think it was my car. But it was a red 1995 Honda Civic. My stuff was still in there. The Club anti-theft device was still on the steering wheel.
For a moment I stood there in shock. Then, I got in the car to see if it would start. Thank goodness, it did. Then I called the police to report the theft of my hood. Five minutes later, I drove home.
Also thank goodness it wasn't raining hard, otherwise I think my engine would have been damaged.
I have been on the phone the past two days with my auto insurance company about the theft. The earliest that a claims adjuster would be out to see my car is in six days. In the meantime, I have to rent a car, which I'm claiming for reimbursement with my insurance company.
Oh, if you buy auto insurance based on how much it costs, you know the adage: You get what you pay for.
I just hope to keep my car running for another two years until I can get another used Honda. As for the losers who stole my hood: Karma is a witch, and she will kick your butts, cackling as she does it!
Writing Diva
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Tough Guy vs. the Vet
In the spectrum of bad experiences, taking a cat to the veterinarian ranks between getting a traffic ticket and getting a root canal, sans anesthesia.
I take full responsibility for what happened to my obese orange tabby Tough Guy. Over the past weekend, he ate some overgrown plants that were poisonous to cats. (I have since cut them back. I plan to get rid of them entirely this weekend.) He vomited twice and had trouble using the litter box. After one try at doing his business, he let out a sustained, painful “MEEEOOOOW!” That was when I decided he had to go to Sunset Animal Clinic in Suisun City.
I went to work yesterday morning, thinking I didn’t have enough money to take Tough Guy until I received a check from my IRA account on Wednesday. When I called the clinic, the receptionist advised that I take the cat in and assured me that the clinic would accept a post-dated check. So, I left shortly after lunch and drove home to pick up Tough Guy.
The sad part was that when I arrived home, Tough Guy appeared to be normal and was purring. I shoved him inside his carrier and left my other cat, Dame Jessye, home alone.
I have no air conditioning in my 1995 Honda Civic. So, Tough Guy would cry and pant like an overheated dog. He also peed in the carrier, which made matters worse.
When I arrived at Sunset Animal Clinic, all the examination rooms were filled, and there were other pets and their humans waiting their turn. One was a German shepherd that was getting his ears taped. Another was a 5-lb., 7-oz. Chihuahua with her burly, tattooed caregiver. A young woman came with a blanket-lined shoebox and a six-week-old black kitten with an eye infection. I believe that animal clinics and hospitals are recession-proof. I thought the clinic needed to expand to accommodate the demand.
Fifteen minutes after our arrival, an animal technician took Tough Guy and the carrier into a back room I wasn’t allowed to enter. Another 10 minutes passed before the technician came out and told me that Tough Guy had peed in the carrier and had trouble urinating for a glucose test to see if he was diabetic. So, they had to keep him for a few hours. I went home.
The only other time I left Tough Guy was when I took him to a groomer for a flea dip a few years ago. I swore I could hear him meowing while I was getting my hair washed at a styling salon around the corner. When I picked him up, he was silent and furious.
When I arrived at home, I changed into a t-shirt and sweat pants and cried on my bed, with Dame Jessye next to me. I felt that I had failed as a cat mom. I tried getting Tough Guy to eat less, but not hard enough. I wondered how I would inject a needle into my feline friend when I can’t stand the sight of needles.
At 8 p.m., I called the clinic, and the receptionist said I could pick up Tough Guy. He was eating turkey baby food and would have to eat it for five days. When I arrived, I waited with another young woman who brought in her Rottweiler named Kid. He looked like he weighed at least 100 pounds.
Finally, I spoke to the veterinarian Dr. Wolfe. She said, “Tough Guy’s not diabetic – yet.”
She instructed me to put Tough Guy on a diet of wet cat food because the dry cat food is full of carbs, to which he is sensitive. Also, he would have to be weighed every two weeks for the next six months to gauge his weight loss. Right now, he weighs 20 pounds. One could use Tough Guy to do arm curls or as a medicine ball, not that he would appreciate it.
The drive home was quiet. Tough Guy was unusually silent. When we got home, I let him out of his carrier, and he walked down the hall, sat, and proceeded to groom himself almost as if nothing had happened. Almost.
As I told my sister D last night, the experience was what Oprah Winfrey would call the “brick upside my head.” We’re all going on a diet.
Writing Diva
I take full responsibility for what happened to my obese orange tabby Tough Guy. Over the past weekend, he ate some overgrown plants that were poisonous to cats. (I have since cut them back. I plan to get rid of them entirely this weekend.) He vomited twice and had trouble using the litter box. After one try at doing his business, he let out a sustained, painful “MEEEOOOOW!” That was when I decided he had to go to Sunset Animal Clinic in Suisun City.
I went to work yesterday morning, thinking I didn’t have enough money to take Tough Guy until I received a check from my IRA account on Wednesday. When I called the clinic, the receptionist advised that I take the cat in and assured me that the clinic would accept a post-dated check. So, I left shortly after lunch and drove home to pick up Tough Guy.
The sad part was that when I arrived home, Tough Guy appeared to be normal and was purring. I shoved him inside his carrier and left my other cat, Dame Jessye, home alone.
I have no air conditioning in my 1995 Honda Civic. So, Tough Guy would cry and pant like an overheated dog. He also peed in the carrier, which made matters worse.
When I arrived at Sunset Animal Clinic, all the examination rooms were filled, and there were other pets and their humans waiting their turn. One was a German shepherd that was getting his ears taped. Another was a 5-lb., 7-oz. Chihuahua with her burly, tattooed caregiver. A young woman came with a blanket-lined shoebox and a six-week-old black kitten with an eye infection. I believe that animal clinics and hospitals are recession-proof. I thought the clinic needed to expand to accommodate the demand.
Fifteen minutes after our arrival, an animal technician took Tough Guy and the carrier into a back room I wasn’t allowed to enter. Another 10 minutes passed before the technician came out and told me that Tough Guy had peed in the carrier and had trouble urinating for a glucose test to see if he was diabetic. So, they had to keep him for a few hours. I went home.
The only other time I left Tough Guy was when I took him to a groomer for a flea dip a few years ago. I swore I could hear him meowing while I was getting my hair washed at a styling salon around the corner. When I picked him up, he was silent and furious.
When I arrived at home, I changed into a t-shirt and sweat pants and cried on my bed, with Dame Jessye next to me. I felt that I had failed as a cat mom. I tried getting Tough Guy to eat less, but not hard enough. I wondered how I would inject a needle into my feline friend when I can’t stand the sight of needles.
At 8 p.m., I called the clinic, and the receptionist said I could pick up Tough Guy. He was eating turkey baby food and would have to eat it for five days. When I arrived, I waited with another young woman who brought in her Rottweiler named Kid. He looked like he weighed at least 100 pounds.
Finally, I spoke to the veterinarian Dr. Wolfe. She said, “Tough Guy’s not diabetic – yet.”
She instructed me to put Tough Guy on a diet of wet cat food because the dry cat food is full of carbs, to which he is sensitive. Also, he would have to be weighed every two weeks for the next six months to gauge his weight loss. Right now, he weighs 20 pounds. One could use Tough Guy to do arm curls or as a medicine ball, not that he would appreciate it.
The drive home was quiet. Tough Guy was unusually silent. When we got home, I let him out of his carrier, and he walked down the hall, sat, and proceeded to groom himself almost as if nothing had happened. Almost.
As I told my sister D last night, the experience was what Oprah Winfrey would call the “brick upside my head.” We’re all going on a diet.
Writing Diva
Friday, September 10, 2010
Hell on Earth
Over the past 28 hours I've been watching the coverage of the natural gas explosion and fire that destroyed a San Bruno, California, neighborhood. A 30-inch natural gas main apparently ruptured, and the ensuing explosion destroyed 37 homes and badly damaged 8 others. Four people died and others were injured, some burned badly.
Two of the people who died worked at the California Public Utilities Commission in San Francisco, where I worked from 2001 until 2005. Jacqueline Greig and her 13-year-old daughter Janessa were killed in the blast. Jacqueline Greig worked in the commission's Division of Ratepayer Advocates and was listed as a member of the natural gas committee of the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Greig had worked at the CPUC for 21 years.
The scenes on television were horrific. One house was completely engulfed in the early evening. By nightfall, more homes were burning. I felt sad for the homeowners and their families, as well as the city of San Bruno.
I also had a bit of schadenfreude regarding Pacific Gas and Electric Company. There were reports that neighbors had smelled gas and contacted the utility. PG&E officials reportedly said they were looking into their call records.
Two years ago there was a similar explosion that destroyed one home and damaged another in Rancho Cordova. One man was killed, and his daughter and granddaughter were injured. The natural gas pipeline involved was only two inches wide.
Earlier this year PG&E lost a multimillion-dollar election campaign that it funded to make it harder for communities to form their own electric and natural gas utility districts. Now this conflagration in San Bruno.
I'm sorry for the families in that affected neighborhood. And right now it sucks to be PG&E.
Writing Diva
Two of the people who died worked at the California Public Utilities Commission in San Francisco, where I worked from 2001 until 2005. Jacqueline Greig and her 13-year-old daughter Janessa were killed in the blast. Jacqueline Greig worked in the commission's Division of Ratepayer Advocates and was listed as a member of the natural gas committee of the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Greig had worked at the CPUC for 21 years.
The scenes on television were horrific. One house was completely engulfed in the early evening. By nightfall, more homes were burning. I felt sad for the homeowners and their families, as well as the city of San Bruno.
I also had a bit of schadenfreude regarding Pacific Gas and Electric Company. There were reports that neighbors had smelled gas and contacted the utility. PG&E officials reportedly said they were looking into their call records.
Two years ago there was a similar explosion that destroyed one home and damaged another in Rancho Cordova. One man was killed, and his daughter and granddaughter were injured. The natural gas pipeline involved was only two inches wide.
Earlier this year PG&E lost a multimillion-dollar election campaign that it funded to make it harder for communities to form their own electric and natural gas utility districts. Now this conflagration in San Bruno.
I'm sorry for the families in that affected neighborhood. And right now it sucks to be PG&E.
Writing Diva
Thursday, August 12, 2010
State Worker Ping Pong
Yesterday a colleague who is retiring tomorrow commented on the ongoing furlough fights between California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the unions representing most of the 240,000 state employees. He said that it felt like he was in a ping pong match.
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Frankly, I’m tired of the Governor using state workers as pawns in the legislative budget battle. California has gone 43 days without a budget. So far, there have been reports that the governor and the California Legislature are three-quarters of the way toward a budget. Democrats and Republicans are still haggling over the $4 billion in proposed tax revenues to fill the $19 billion gap in the 2010-2011 budget.
Two weeks ago, when state Controller John Chiang announced that the state would run out of money by October, Schwarzenegger reinstated furloughs after affected state workers endured them for 18 months. Our July paycheck was the first time since February 2009 that we received full pay. Our newest round of furloughs was to start the second Friday in August.
The unions filed a request with the Alameda County Superior Court to block the latest furloughs. On Monday night, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Steven A. Brick sided with the workers and ordered a temporary restraining order on the furloughs. Typical Arnold, he filed an appeal with the First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco, stating that Brick’s TRO “will exacerbate the ongoing fiscal and cash crisis in California and will correspondingly harm the state and the public.” Yeah, right.
Sorry for the cliché, but I’ve gone through an emotional (not to mention financial) roller coaster with these furloughs. I wish that the Governor and Legislature would get its act together and figure out something. I just want to know how much, if any, money I’ll be taking home each month for how long.
(Blogger’s Note: I just learned that we have to report to work tomorrow. The colleague just said a four-letter word. Couldn’t have said it better myself.)
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Frankly, I’m tired of the Governor using state workers as pawns in the legislative budget battle. California has gone 43 days without a budget. So far, there have been reports that the governor and the California Legislature are three-quarters of the way toward a budget. Democrats and Republicans are still haggling over the $4 billion in proposed tax revenues to fill the $19 billion gap in the 2010-2011 budget.
Two weeks ago, when state Controller John Chiang announced that the state would run out of money by October, Schwarzenegger reinstated furloughs after affected state workers endured them for 18 months. Our July paycheck was the first time since February 2009 that we received full pay. Our newest round of furloughs was to start the second Friday in August.
The unions filed a request with the Alameda County Superior Court to block the latest furloughs. On Monday night, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Steven A. Brick sided with the workers and ordered a temporary restraining order on the furloughs. Typical Arnold, he filed an appeal with the First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco, stating that Brick’s TRO “will exacerbate the ongoing fiscal and cash crisis in California and will correspondingly harm the state and the public.” Yeah, right.
Sorry for the cliché, but I’ve gone through an emotional (not to mention financial) roller coaster with these furloughs. I wish that the Governor and Legislature would get its act together and figure out something. I just want to know how much, if any, money I’ll be taking home each month for how long.
(Blogger’s Note: I just learned that we have to report to work tomorrow. The colleague just said a four-letter word. Couldn’t have said it better myself.)
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Emmy Gets It Right
The 2010 Prime Time Emmy nominations gave me, well, “Glee”-ful. (Sorry for the very bad pun, readers.)
In recent years I would grouse about how some of my favorite shows were left in the dust, like “Friday Night Lights.” Not this year. “Glee,” one of my favorite comedies, danced away with 19 nominations, the most of any series this year. “Lost,” my favorite drama of all time, earned 12 nominations for its final season, including nods for Matthew Fox (Finally!) as lead actor and Terry O’Quinn and 2009 winner Michael Emerson for supporting actor. “Modern Family,” another comedy fave, got 14 nominations, including three supporting actor and two supporting actress nods. Even “Friday Night Lights” scored acting nods for its leads Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton. Yahoo!
But the most delicious news was the now-defunct “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien” earning four nominations, including one for best variety series, while “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” earned nothing, nichts, nada! And NBC, which made the boneheaded decision to reinstate Jay Leno, is airing the Emmys on August 29. I would watch the Emmys for the schadenfreude alone.
So, here are the rest of my hits and some misses for this year:
“The Good Wife,” a CBS series about a wife who returns to practicing law after her attorney general husband is involved in a sex scandal, earned nominations for its lead Julianna Margulies and supporting actresses Christine Baranski and Archie Panjabi. Two guest actors, Tony winner Alan Cumming and Dylan Baker, earned nods as well. It’s an intelligent, well-written and acted show. Hit.
“Glee” received nods for best comedy series, lead actor (Matthew Morrison), lead actress (Lea Michele), supporting actress (Jane Lynch, who totally earned it), and guest actor (Neil Patrick Harris.) But I was pleasantly surprised about nominations for Chris Colfer (Kurt) for supporting actor and Mike O’Malley (Kurt’s father Burt) for guest actor. Their scenes together are funny and touching. Hit.
“Mad Men” got 17 nominations, including those for leads Jon Hamm and January Jones, supporting actor John Slattery, and supporting actresses Elisabeth Moss and Christina Hendricks. Robert Morse received a guest actor nomination for his portrayal of the senior partner of Sterling Cooper Advertising. Hit.
Where were Sandra Oh and Chandra Wilson from “Grey’s Anatomy”? Their performances, especially in the finale, were stellar. Miss.
Vampire drama “True Blood” earned its first nomination for best drama. Maybe the Emmy voters are opening themselves up to new experiences. Hit.
No Morena Baccarin, the leader of the aliens from “V”? Miss.
Discovery’s “Deadliest Catch” won nominations, including one for best nonfiction series, in the aftermath of fishing boat Capt. Phil Harris’s death from a stroke. Hit.
No love for “Law and Order” after 19 seasons? Miss.
Overall, I’m happy with this year’s picks. Guess I’ll be in front of the set next month.
Writing Diva
In recent years I would grouse about how some of my favorite shows were left in the dust, like “Friday Night Lights.” Not this year. “Glee,” one of my favorite comedies, danced away with 19 nominations, the most of any series this year. “Lost,” my favorite drama of all time, earned 12 nominations for its final season, including nods for Matthew Fox (Finally!) as lead actor and Terry O’Quinn and 2009 winner Michael Emerson for supporting actor. “Modern Family,” another comedy fave, got 14 nominations, including three supporting actor and two supporting actress nods. Even “Friday Night Lights” scored acting nods for its leads Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton. Yahoo!
But the most delicious news was the now-defunct “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien” earning four nominations, including one for best variety series, while “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” earned nothing, nichts, nada! And NBC, which made the boneheaded decision to reinstate Jay Leno, is airing the Emmys on August 29. I would watch the Emmys for the schadenfreude alone.
So, here are the rest of my hits and some misses for this year:
“The Good Wife,” a CBS series about a wife who returns to practicing law after her attorney general husband is involved in a sex scandal, earned nominations for its lead Julianna Margulies and supporting actresses Christine Baranski and Archie Panjabi. Two guest actors, Tony winner Alan Cumming and Dylan Baker, earned nods as well. It’s an intelligent, well-written and acted show. Hit.
“Glee” received nods for best comedy series, lead actor (Matthew Morrison), lead actress (Lea Michele), supporting actress (Jane Lynch, who totally earned it), and guest actor (Neil Patrick Harris.) But I was pleasantly surprised about nominations for Chris Colfer (Kurt) for supporting actor and Mike O’Malley (Kurt’s father Burt) for guest actor. Their scenes together are funny and touching. Hit.
“Mad Men” got 17 nominations, including those for leads Jon Hamm and January Jones, supporting actor John Slattery, and supporting actresses Elisabeth Moss and Christina Hendricks. Robert Morse received a guest actor nomination for his portrayal of the senior partner of Sterling Cooper Advertising. Hit.
Where were Sandra Oh and Chandra Wilson from “Grey’s Anatomy”? Their performances, especially in the finale, were stellar. Miss.
Vampire drama “True Blood” earned its first nomination for best drama. Maybe the Emmy voters are opening themselves up to new experiences. Hit.
No Morena Baccarin, the leader of the aliens from “V”? Miss.
Discovery’s “Deadliest Catch” won nominations, including one for best nonfiction series, in the aftermath of fishing boat Capt. Phil Harris’s death from a stroke. Hit.
No love for “Law and Order” after 19 seasons? Miss.
Overall, I’m happy with this year’s picks. Guess I’ll be in front of the set next month.
Writing Diva
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
This Month in Bad P.R.
As a former newspaper reporter and a current editor/public affairs professional, I was astounded by the number of public relations disasters I read in the news this month. I don’t know whether to shake my head in pity or slap the offenders upside the head.
The king of P.R. stupidity for this month, if not for 2010, is Tony Hayward, CEO for British Petroleum, or BP. (It should also stand for “Bad Press.” But I digress.) His string of gaffes should be included in every college textbook on crisis communications strategy as an example of what not to do. Newsweek listed some of Hayward’s mistakes, including:
The king of P.R. stupidity for this month, if not for 2010, is Tony Hayward, CEO for British Petroleum, or BP. (It should also stand for “Bad Press.” But I digress.) His string of gaffes should be included in every college textbook on crisis communications strategy as an example of what not to do. Newsweek listed some of Hayward’s mistakes, including:
- His May 14 attempt to persuade The Guardian that “the Gulf of Mexico is a very big ocean. The amount of oil and dispersant we are putting into it is tiny in relation to the total water volume.”
- His inept attempt to play the sympathy card on the “Today” show on May 30 when he said that “there’s no one who wants this over more than I do. I would like my life back.” (Indeed, so would the 11 workers killed in the Deepwater Horizon explosion, the other BP workers, the fishers, the sea creatures, and anyone else affected by the biggest environmental disaster in U.S. history.)
- After being relieved of being the point man for the BP oil spill, his watching a yacht race over the past weekend in Great Britain. Perception, Tony, perception!
Then there was the “slip in translation” by BP’s chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg last week when speaking to reporters after meeting with President Obama. The New York Times reported Svanberg, who is Swedish, said, “People say that large oil companies don’t care about the small people. But we care. We care about the small people.” I can understand that English is not Svanberg’s native tongue, but that comment rubbed salt onto the open wounds of Gulf Coast residents.
Note to BP: Please stop while you’re behind.
Enough of my BP rant. I also have some advice for California Attorney General and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown: Please don’t speak to strangers while you’re jogging. Talking to a KCBS radio reporter, Brown compared Republican opponent Meg Whitman’s advertising blitz to the propaganda of World War II Nazi official Joseph Goebbels. The term “Nazi” is culturally and racially charged and should be used sparingly. I guess it’s hard to think logically and jog at the same time.
I will finish this blog entry with Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who openly criticized the Obama Administration in a Rolling Stone article being released this week. In “The Runaway General,” Obama’s top commander in Afghanistan found the president “uncomfortable and intimidated” in a Pentagon meeting with McChrystal and other generals. McChrystal and his aides also bad-mouthed Vice President Joe Biden, special envoy Richard C. Holbrooke, and Ambassador Karl Eikenberry.
According to the magazine’s editor Eric Bates, the conversations were on the record, although some were “not for attribution.” What McChrystal learned the hard way is that journalists are sharks. When they smell blood, they attack. They’ll take whatever we can get. Everything said is fair game.
President Obama has summoned McChrystal for a White House meeting on Wednesday. I guess we know whose ass is getting kicked.
Writing Diva
Friday, May 21, 2010
I'll Never Be "Lost" Again
I'm a Lostie.
There! I've written it. I'm a huge fan of the ABC television show "Lost." And I'm spending this "Lost Weekend" watching the pilot episode that started my addiction on Saturday and being weaned off it with the Sunday finale.
After 121 episodes, I will have to undergo "Lost" withdrawal. I have watched the series since its stellar debut on September 22, 2004. With the riveting, harrowing plane crash and its aftermath on a mysterious island, I was hooked. To my recollection, I have missed only seven episodes in six seasons.
What drew me to the series was the island. When character Charlie Pace asked, "Where are we?", I imagine other Losties asked the same question Charlie and I did. Then more questions came: What was the monster that killed the airplane's pilot? Why were children being taken? Who are The Others? Where did the ship the Black Rock come from? What is the Dharma Initiative? Who are Jacob and the Man in Black? And, what's up with that polar bear on a tropical island?
There were endless discussions of faith vs. reason, fate vs. free will, quantum physics, time travel, good vs. evil, mistakes and redemption. Executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse would throw in all sorts of cultural and philosophical touchstones in books and character names, such as John Locke, Jack Shephard, Rousseau, Charlotte Staples (C.S.) Lewis, Desmond David Hume, and Richard Alpert (the birth name of spiritual teacher Ram Dass), The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, Watership Down, A Brief History of Time, Catch-22, The Chosen, Flowers for Algernon (one of my favorites), and The Bible, among many others.
But what kept me watching "Lost" these six seasons were the characters. There were the contentious interactions between Dr. Jack Shephard, a man of science, and John Locke, a man who had faith in the island. James "Sawyer" Ford, a con-man protecting his tender loving heart. Jin and Sun Kwon, the married Korean couple that went through separations before finally finding one another, only to die together. Kate Austen, a fugitive murderer whose heart was caught between Jack and Sawyer. Hugo "Hurley" Reyes, the lottery winner and comic relief who, in my opinion, is the heart of the show. Sayid Jarrah, the Iraqi soldier seeking love and redemption. Benjamin Linus, the "leader" of The Others who has used people and is being used by the Man in Black. (Or is he?) Finally, Desmond Hume, the time traveler who is the key to the island and has his "constant" in his love, Penelope Widmore.
"Lost" is an action drama that challenged me to think. I would have weekly day-after-Lost discussions with a coworker about the episode and what we liked and didn't like about it. The music by Emmy- and Academy Award-winner Michael Giacchino suited every scene and was memorable. And the scenery, which was shot on the north side of Oahu, Hawaii, was breathtaking.
So, when I sit down Sunday night to watch the 2-1/2-hour finale, I will have a box of tissues and a glass of chardonnay to toast what I will call my favorite television show of all time. Namaste, "Lost."
Writing Diva
There! I've written it. I'm a huge fan of the ABC television show "Lost." And I'm spending this "Lost Weekend" watching the pilot episode that started my addiction on Saturday and being weaned off it with the Sunday finale.
After 121 episodes, I will have to undergo "Lost" withdrawal. I have watched the series since its stellar debut on September 22, 2004. With the riveting, harrowing plane crash and its aftermath on a mysterious island, I was hooked. To my recollection, I have missed only seven episodes in six seasons.
What drew me to the series was the island. When character Charlie Pace asked, "Where are we?", I imagine other Losties asked the same question Charlie and I did. Then more questions came: What was the monster that killed the airplane's pilot? Why were children being taken? Who are The Others? Where did the ship the Black Rock come from? What is the Dharma Initiative? Who are Jacob and the Man in Black? And, what's up with that polar bear on a tropical island?
There were endless discussions of faith vs. reason, fate vs. free will, quantum physics, time travel, good vs. evil, mistakes and redemption. Executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse would throw in all sorts of cultural and philosophical touchstones in books and character names, such as John Locke, Jack Shephard, Rousseau, Charlotte Staples (C.S.) Lewis, Desmond David Hume, and Richard Alpert (the birth name of spiritual teacher Ram Dass), The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, Watership Down, A Brief History of Time, Catch-22, The Chosen, Flowers for Algernon (one of my favorites), and The Bible, among many others.
But what kept me watching "Lost" these six seasons were the characters. There were the contentious interactions between Dr. Jack Shephard, a man of science, and John Locke, a man who had faith in the island. James "Sawyer" Ford, a con-man protecting his tender loving heart. Jin and Sun Kwon, the married Korean couple that went through separations before finally finding one another, only to die together. Kate Austen, a fugitive murderer whose heart was caught between Jack and Sawyer. Hugo "Hurley" Reyes, the lottery winner and comic relief who, in my opinion, is the heart of the show. Sayid Jarrah, the Iraqi soldier seeking love and redemption. Benjamin Linus, the "leader" of The Others who has used people and is being used by the Man in Black. (Or is he?) Finally, Desmond Hume, the time traveler who is the key to the island and has his "constant" in his love, Penelope Widmore.
"Lost" is an action drama that challenged me to think. I would have weekly day-after-Lost discussions with a coworker about the episode and what we liked and didn't like about it. The music by Emmy- and Academy Award-winner Michael Giacchino suited every scene and was memorable. And the scenery, which was shot on the north side of Oahu, Hawaii, was breathtaking.
So, when I sit down Sunday night to watch the 2-1/2-hour finale, I will have a box of tissues and a glass of chardonnay to toast what I will call my favorite television show of all time. Namaste, "Lost."
Writing Diva
Monday, May 3, 2010
Keep on Keeping On
All that fretting was for naught, at least for now.
My online suitor "S" sent me a text at 8:38 a.m. yesterday while I was in church. He wrote that his son's dog was recently fixed and was wearing an Elizabethan collar. Since his son had to work yesterday and S couldn't leave the dog unattended with the unwieldy collar, he had to stay home with the dog.
I sent a text reply asking that he let me know if he wants to reschedule. I haven't received a text from him since.
I found the timing of his text "interesting." I'm a little disappointed considering I was wearing a ruby red sundress for our meeting. But angry? Not so much.
I have so much on my plate right now that I can't really think about whether S will reschedule. I admit I'm a bit stung, but I'll get over it. With starting my business, researching my family roots, and getting out more, I won't have much time to brood.
Writing Diva
My online suitor "S" sent me a text at 8:38 a.m. yesterday while I was in church. He wrote that his son's dog was recently fixed and was wearing an Elizabethan collar. Since his son had to work yesterday and S couldn't leave the dog unattended with the unwieldy collar, he had to stay home with the dog.
I sent a text reply asking that he let me know if he wants to reschedule. I haven't received a text from him since.
I found the timing of his text "interesting." I'm a little disappointed considering I was wearing a ruby red sundress for our meeting. But angry? Not so much.
I have so much on my plate right now that I can't really think about whether S will reschedule. I admit I'm a bit stung, but I'll get over it. With starting my business, researching my family roots, and getting out more, I won't have much time to brood.
Writing Diva
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Carrot Cake Good. Icing Better
I'm returning to writing what my blog is supposed to be about -- my life as a single person.
For about a year I have subscribed to a free dating website called "Plenty of Fish." I had received inquiries from some men, but none had panned out.
Until 10 days ago.
Actually, this gentleman, whom I will call "S," first wrote several months ago. He is a 53-year-old divorced man who lives in Oakley, Contra Costa County. I liked his photo and what he wrote about himself in his profile. And he wrote me first.
We had been corresponding via e-mail through the website until he told me what he did for a living. He sells tobacco products. He doesn't smoke or chew tobacco. He just sells the stuff.
I came to a halt. I'm not a big fan of tobacco because my mother, who smoked for 52 years, died of lung cancer when she was 64. Moreover, I believe I contracted asthma as a result of my being exposed to secondhand smoke. So, I told S that his occupation bothered me and why it did. He stopped writing. I regretted saying what I did and missed his e-mails. But I had resigned myself to being single.
Then, out of the blue, he sends me an e-mail 10 days ago asking if I remembered him. I responded that I did and that I regretted sharing my concerns about his occupation. So, he asked if we could try again. I agreed.
We're meeting tomorrow (Sunday) at a burger joint in Rio Vista after I leave church. Oh, he doesn't attend church but said he doesn't "hold it against me" that I do.
The sentiment would be OK if it weren't for the fact that my faith may be what sabotages any chance of a relationship. The Bible teaches that Christians should not be "unequally yoked" with those who don't believe in God and Jesus Christ. While I don't expect him to be a Christian, I expect any man I date to respect my faith and values. If he doesn't, I have to move on.
I'm no goody two-shoes, far from it. My life was complicated before I recommitted myself to Christ. I'm struggling, but I want to keep my life on this path.
The other concern I have is that I'm at a good place in my life. I have my own home, two cats I love, a wonderful family of my father, stepmother, siblings, nieces and nephews, great-nephews and great-nieces, and a large network of relatives, my friends, and my church family. I have a good job that pays well and great, witty coworkers. And I'm steady in my faith. In other words, my life could be compared to a delicious carrot cake made by my sister T1. In addition to flour and sugar, there are carrots, pineapple chunks, walnuts, vanilla, and other ingredients. I don't have my cream cheese frosting, yet. But that's OK.
A loving, committed relationship with a man would be that icing. But I don't want a man with issues that I can't handle. Once I dated a bipolar man who cheated on me with another woman and got her pregnant. Another man who teaches high school has problems with alcohol. In other words, I seem to draw what a friend calls "men with negative issues." Having a man with bad issues in my life would be like having old sour cream on my cake -- not a good thing. Yuck!
I can live without having a man in my life. But it would be icing. So, I'm taking a chance when I meet S tomorrow. If it doesn't work out, that's OK. I'm going to a Cinco de Mayo dance next Saturday night. I'm working on my books and my family history. I'm meeting with friends and family. I have a wonderful cake. But I wouldn't mind some cream cheese frosting.
Writing Diva
For about a year I have subscribed to a free dating website called "Plenty of Fish." I had received inquiries from some men, but none had panned out.
Until 10 days ago.
Actually, this gentleman, whom I will call "S," first wrote several months ago. He is a 53-year-old divorced man who lives in Oakley, Contra Costa County. I liked his photo and what he wrote about himself in his profile. And he wrote me first.
We had been corresponding via e-mail through the website until he told me what he did for a living. He sells tobacco products. He doesn't smoke or chew tobacco. He just sells the stuff.
I came to a halt. I'm not a big fan of tobacco because my mother, who smoked for 52 years, died of lung cancer when she was 64. Moreover, I believe I contracted asthma as a result of my being exposed to secondhand smoke. So, I told S that his occupation bothered me and why it did. He stopped writing. I regretted saying what I did and missed his e-mails. But I had resigned myself to being single.
Then, out of the blue, he sends me an e-mail 10 days ago asking if I remembered him. I responded that I did and that I regretted sharing my concerns about his occupation. So, he asked if we could try again. I agreed.
We're meeting tomorrow (Sunday) at a burger joint in Rio Vista after I leave church. Oh, he doesn't attend church but said he doesn't "hold it against me" that I do.
The sentiment would be OK if it weren't for the fact that my faith may be what sabotages any chance of a relationship. The Bible teaches that Christians should not be "unequally yoked" with those who don't believe in God and Jesus Christ. While I don't expect him to be a Christian, I expect any man I date to respect my faith and values. If he doesn't, I have to move on.
I'm no goody two-shoes, far from it. My life was complicated before I recommitted myself to Christ. I'm struggling, but I want to keep my life on this path.
The other concern I have is that I'm at a good place in my life. I have my own home, two cats I love, a wonderful family of my father, stepmother, siblings, nieces and nephews, great-nephews and great-nieces, and a large network of relatives, my friends, and my church family. I have a good job that pays well and great, witty coworkers. And I'm steady in my faith. In other words, my life could be compared to a delicious carrot cake made by my sister T1. In addition to flour and sugar, there are carrots, pineapple chunks, walnuts, vanilla, and other ingredients. I don't have my cream cheese frosting, yet. But that's OK.
A loving, committed relationship with a man would be that icing. But I don't want a man with issues that I can't handle. Once I dated a bipolar man who cheated on me with another woman and got her pregnant. Another man who teaches high school has problems with alcohol. In other words, I seem to draw what a friend calls "men with negative issues." Having a man with bad issues in my life would be like having old sour cream on my cake -- not a good thing. Yuck!
I can live without having a man in my life. But it would be icing. So, I'm taking a chance when I meet S tomorrow. If it doesn't work out, that's OK. I'm going to a Cinco de Mayo dance next Saturday night. I'm working on my books and my family history. I'm meeting with friends and family. I have a wonderful cake. But I wouldn't mind some cream cheese frosting.
Writing Diva
Monday, March 22, 2010
“This Is What Change Looks Like”
I spent most of Sunday afternoon watching a program that was as twisted as ABC’s “Lost,” as dramatic as Fox’s “24,” and sometimes as funny as a good episode of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live.”
It was the U.S. House of Representatives debate over the health care reform bill on C-Span.
There was fighting. There was yelling. There were cheers and jeers. But in the nail-biting climax, H.R. 3962 passed 219 to 212 without a Republican voting for it. Moreover, 34 Democrats voted against it. But that’s OK. The beginning of health care reform passed with three votes to spare.
Presidents since Theodore Roosevelt have tried to reform health care in the United States. One of the most famous attempts was by President Bill “Big Dog” Clinton and then-First Lady (now Secretary of State) Hillary Rodham Clinton. Not one succeeded, even when they tried.
Until March 21, 2010. Somewhere President Barack Obama is saying with a smile to himself, “How ya like me now?”
As of this entry, the bill awaits President Obama’s signature.
But getting the bill to the President’s desk was a process that can be compared to making sausage – downright ugly. To get six conservative Democrats to approve the bill, Obama offered to issue an executive order clarifying the ban on federal funding of abortion. According to The Washington Post, Obama will issue the order after the bill is signed.
From what I’ve heard, the Democrats have offered various compromises to the Republicans to get health care reform passed. But there wasn’t a Republican who would support the bill, saying that it was “big government” and that it cost too much for taxpayers. The Los Angeles Times quoted Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-South Carolina) as saying, “This is the Civil Rights Act of the 21st century.”
The measure allocates about $1 trillion (Yes, that’s “trillion” with a “T.”) over the next decade to expanding insurance coverage, with major changes coming in 2014, The Post reported. Individuals will pay fines for refusing to buy insurance, and employers with more than 50 workers that do not provide coverage also face fines.
The smaller changes that will take place in six months include permitting adult children to stay on their parents’ policies until they turn 26, and children with medical conditions will not be denied coverage.
Unfortunately, this battle is not over. Republicans, stung by the Democratic victory, will take their case to the people during this election year. There may be Democratic representatives and senators who face losing their seats this fall. But I’ll still go to the polls supporting Senator Barbara Boxer and Rep. George Miller, D-Martinez.
When President Obama said, “This is what change looks like,” I thought, “This is the change I voted for. Get used to it!”
Writing Diva
It was the U.S. House of Representatives debate over the health care reform bill on C-Span.
There was fighting. There was yelling. There were cheers and jeers. But in the nail-biting climax, H.R. 3962 passed 219 to 212 without a Republican voting for it. Moreover, 34 Democrats voted against it. But that’s OK. The beginning of health care reform passed with three votes to spare.
Presidents since Theodore Roosevelt have tried to reform health care in the United States. One of the most famous attempts was by President Bill “Big Dog” Clinton and then-First Lady (now Secretary of State) Hillary Rodham Clinton. Not one succeeded, even when they tried.
Until March 21, 2010. Somewhere President Barack Obama is saying with a smile to himself, “How ya like me now?”
As of this entry, the bill awaits President Obama’s signature.
But getting the bill to the President’s desk was a process that can be compared to making sausage – downright ugly. To get six conservative Democrats to approve the bill, Obama offered to issue an executive order clarifying the ban on federal funding of abortion. According to The Washington Post, Obama will issue the order after the bill is signed.
From what I’ve heard, the Democrats have offered various compromises to the Republicans to get health care reform passed. But there wasn’t a Republican who would support the bill, saying that it was “big government” and that it cost too much for taxpayers. The Los Angeles Times quoted Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-South Carolina) as saying, “This is the Civil Rights Act of the 21st century.”
The measure allocates about $1 trillion (Yes, that’s “trillion” with a “T.”) over the next decade to expanding insurance coverage, with major changes coming in 2014, The Post reported. Individuals will pay fines for refusing to buy insurance, and employers with more than 50 workers that do not provide coverage also face fines.
The smaller changes that will take place in six months include permitting adult children to stay on their parents’ policies until they turn 26, and children with medical conditions will not be denied coverage.
Unfortunately, this battle is not over. Republicans, stung by the Democratic victory, will take their case to the people during this election year. There may be Democratic representatives and senators who face losing their seats this fall. But I’ll still go to the polls supporting Senator Barbara Boxer and Rep. George Miller, D-Martinez.
When President Obama said, “This is what change looks like,” I thought, “This is the change I voted for. Get used to it!”
Writing Diva
Sunday, March 7, 2010
The Academy Awards -- My "Super Bowl"
OK, it's been two months since I've posted an entry. I may discuss later why I haven't been writing.
Today's topic is what Joy Behar of ABC's "The View" described as "the gay Super Bowl" --the Academy Awards.
For me, the Oscars have been my big bowl game. As a movie buff and Oscar geek of my family, I look forward to this more than I do Christmas. The day after the Oscar announcements, I try to see every movie nominated for an Oscar. I haven't been as attentive this year, though. So far, I've seen "Precious," "Coraline," and "Julie and Julia," the latter I saw Friday night. (I give the movie a "B." I give best actress nominee Meryl Streep's performance an "A-."
I've been watching the Oscars for 40 years. (Again, I'm dating myself.) I fell head over heels for perennial best supporting/best leading actor nominee Al Pacino ("The Godfather," "Serpico," The Godfather Part II," and "Dog Day Afternoon," to name a few). Each time he was robbed, I tell ya, robbed! It wasn't until he won his best actor Oscar for "Scent of a Woman" that I was satisfied. I know it was more for his body of work than for that particular performance. Works for me, though.
Like life, the Oscars have had their ups and downs for me. I was thrilled when Louis Gossett Jr. became the first African-American actor to win best supporting actor for "An Officer and a Gentleman." I whooped and hollered when Whoopi Goldberg won best supporting actress for "Ghost," one of my favorite movies. The biggest night, though was when Halle Berry became the first African-American woman to win the best actress Oscar for her role in "Monster's Ball." Her win was quickly followed by Denzel Washington garnering his second Oscar, this time for best actor, for "Training Day." (He also won several years earlier for his supporting role in "Glory.") I was watching with two of my older sisters, and we gave a loud, collective "Whoa!"
On the other hand, I thought the great Ruby Dee was robbed of her supporting actress Oscar in 2007 for "American Gangster." Tilda Swinton came out of nowhere to win that year for "Michael Clayton." (And she wore a dress that looked like a dark plastic garbage bag. But I digress.) The year before Eddie Murphy was the front-runner going into the 2006 Oscars but was beaten by ... himself. He approved the release of the really bad movie "Norbit" weeks before the Oscar telecast. He lost to Alan Arkin for "Little Miss Sunshine."
This year, unless a tsunami washes away the Kodak Theater, Mo'Nique is a lock for best supporting actress for "Precious." (She was a monster in her role as Mary, Precious's mother.)
Christoph Waltz is expected to get his Oscar for best supporting actor for "Inglourious Basterds." (Correct spelling) Jeff Bridges may edge George Clooney as best actor for "Crazy Heart." But the real tossup will be for best actress between the aforementioned Streep and Sandra Bullock, who earned her first Oscar nomination for her role in "The Blind Side."
(Note: I'm typing with a cat [Diva] in my lap.)
Best picture is going to be a tossup, too, between "Avatar" and "The Hurt Locker."
Anyway, time for me to go to my sisters' and bug them to death about Oscar.
Writing Diva
Today's topic is what Joy Behar of ABC's "The View" described as "the gay Super Bowl" --the Academy Awards.
For me, the Oscars have been my big bowl game. As a movie buff and Oscar geek of my family, I look forward to this more than I do Christmas. The day after the Oscar announcements, I try to see every movie nominated for an Oscar. I haven't been as attentive this year, though. So far, I've seen "Precious," "Coraline," and "Julie and Julia," the latter I saw Friday night. (I give the movie a "B." I give best actress nominee Meryl Streep's performance an "A-."
I've been watching the Oscars for 40 years. (Again, I'm dating myself.) I fell head over heels for perennial best supporting/best leading actor nominee Al Pacino ("The Godfather," "Serpico," The Godfather Part II," and "Dog Day Afternoon," to name a few). Each time he was robbed, I tell ya, robbed! It wasn't until he won his best actor Oscar for "Scent of a Woman" that I was satisfied. I know it was more for his body of work than for that particular performance. Works for me, though.
Like life, the Oscars have had their ups and downs for me. I was thrilled when Louis Gossett Jr. became the first African-American actor to win best supporting actor for "An Officer and a Gentleman." I whooped and hollered when Whoopi Goldberg won best supporting actress for "Ghost," one of my favorite movies. The biggest night, though was when Halle Berry became the first African-American woman to win the best actress Oscar for her role in "Monster's Ball." Her win was quickly followed by Denzel Washington garnering his second Oscar, this time for best actor, for "Training Day." (He also won several years earlier for his supporting role in "Glory.") I was watching with two of my older sisters, and we gave a loud, collective "Whoa!"
On the other hand, I thought the great Ruby Dee was robbed of her supporting actress Oscar in 2007 for "American Gangster." Tilda Swinton came out of nowhere to win that year for "Michael Clayton." (And she wore a dress that looked like a dark plastic garbage bag. But I digress.) The year before Eddie Murphy was the front-runner going into the 2006 Oscars but was beaten by ... himself. He approved the release of the really bad movie "Norbit" weeks before the Oscar telecast. He lost to Alan Arkin for "Little Miss Sunshine."
This year, unless a tsunami washes away the Kodak Theater, Mo'Nique is a lock for best supporting actress for "Precious." (She was a monster in her role as Mary, Precious's mother.)
Christoph Waltz is expected to get his Oscar for best supporting actor for "Inglourious Basterds." (Correct spelling) Jeff Bridges may edge George Clooney as best actor for "Crazy Heart." But the real tossup will be for best actress between the aforementioned Streep and Sandra Bullock, who earned her first Oscar nomination for her role in "The Blind Side."
(Note: I'm typing with a cat [Diva] in my lap.)
Best picture is going to be a tossup, too, between "Avatar" and "The Hurt Locker."
Anyway, time for me to go to my sisters' and bug them to death about Oscar.
Writing Diva
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Hang Together or Hang Separately?
When I heard Thursday night that an Alameda County Superior Court judge sided with SEIU Local 1000 and other California state employee unions against the imposed three-day-a-month furloughs, I was at first overjoyed and hopeful for 2010. Judge Frank Roesch ruled that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s decision to furlough about 200,000 state employees, regardless of whether they were paid through the general fund or special funds, was legally flawed. To which I said, “Duh!”
Then reality settled in. The state faces a $21 billion deficit and growing. Tomorrow the Governor makes his last State of the State address, and I expect the other shoe to drop – layoffs for state employees.
I admit that at first I selfishly thought, “Let him do layoffs. I have nine years with the state and I’m in a special fund agency.” Then I remembered I have friends who work for general fund agencies who don’t have as many years of state service as I do. I also have family members who work for the state who may be affected. A prime example is my sister, Black Woman Blogging (http://www.blackwomanblogging.blogspot.com). She is an attorney for a general fund state agency who has been furloughed, as I have been. She and her husband, an attorney for a federal agency, bought their first home together in November 2008. I don’t want them to lose their home and go through more financial struggles.
Last night on KTXL Fox 40 in Sacramento, reporter Rick Boone interviewed Antonio Mitchell, a 19-year state employee. Mitchell looked directly into the camera and told his union SEIU Local 1000, “If you’re listening, union reps, save everyone’s jobs. I think it’s better for us to take the 15 percent (pay cut) than for some to lose their jobs. That’s a no-win situation. I think everyone everybody can share in the pain.”
Mitchell has a valid point. The superior court judge’s ruling and the subsequent appeals are a train wreck waiting to happen. If SEIU Local 1000 wants to help its membership, it should take a poll of its members asking if we should stop the war and take furloughs over firings. If the unions truly represent us, the leadership should listen to us.
I will side with Mr. Mitchell and ask SEIU Local 1000 to stop. As Benjamin Franklin said, “We must hang together, gentlemen,…else, we shall most assuredly hang separately.”
Writing Diva
Then reality settled in. The state faces a $21 billion deficit and growing. Tomorrow the Governor makes his last State of the State address, and I expect the other shoe to drop – layoffs for state employees.
I admit that at first I selfishly thought, “Let him do layoffs. I have nine years with the state and I’m in a special fund agency.” Then I remembered I have friends who work for general fund agencies who don’t have as many years of state service as I do. I also have family members who work for the state who may be affected. A prime example is my sister, Black Woman Blogging (http://www.blackwomanblogging.blogspot.com). She is an attorney for a general fund state agency who has been furloughed, as I have been. She and her husband, an attorney for a federal agency, bought their first home together in November 2008. I don’t want them to lose their home and go through more financial struggles.
Last night on KTXL Fox 40 in Sacramento, reporter Rick Boone interviewed Antonio Mitchell, a 19-year state employee. Mitchell looked directly into the camera and told his union SEIU Local 1000, “If you’re listening, union reps, save everyone’s jobs. I think it’s better for us to take the 15 percent (pay cut) than for some to lose their jobs. That’s a no-win situation. I think everyone everybody can share in the pain.”
Mitchell has a valid point. The superior court judge’s ruling and the subsequent appeals are a train wreck waiting to happen. If SEIU Local 1000 wants to help its membership, it should take a poll of its members asking if we should stop the war and take furloughs over firings. If the unions truly represent us, the leadership should listen to us.
I will side with Mr. Mitchell and ask SEIU Local 1000 to stop. As Benjamin Franklin said, “We must hang together, gentlemen,…else, we shall most assuredly hang separately.”
Writing Diva
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