I recently read an article about predictions you could, and could not, make about your child's future personality based on early behaviors. It got me thinking about what my kids will be like in the future. Based on their current behaviors and interests, here are some of my predictions for possible careers my children will choose:
Jack
• Writer – Jack is quite the storyteller. He is constantly telling me about things his stuffed animals (his kids) have done. He will tell me very elaborate tales of what Gorilla and Girly-Girl did that day with him. He has an amazing imagination and I honestly could see him doing something very creative in life. Since he loves books and hates crafts, I think writing may be more his creative expression than art.
• Hostage negotiator – Jack likes to negotiate everything lately. His bedtime, how long he can play computer games or watch TV, what he has to eat off his plate to get dessert. You name it, he will negotiate it.
• Lawyer – If Jack's negotiations fail, he turns to arguing his case. Why he did something naughty, or why he should get to do something good. And he's sneaky about getting you to argue back. I will often find myself in the middle of arguing something with him and wonder how I got sucked into arguing.
• Alien Fighter or Dinosaur Trainer – Jack is very into Dinosaurs and Aliens, two things I know do not exist in our little corner of the universe, but Jack is convinced they do. When his cousin asked him what he wanted to be, Jack replied, "A Dinosaur Trainer." When Kyle told him the dinosaurs weren't around anymore, Jack's answer was, "I know that. But they're coming back." If the dinosaurs come back or aliens attack, there is no doubt in my mind Jack will be ready to protect and save us all. (You're breathing a sigh of relief right now, aren't you?)
Brett
• Dentist – Brett is obsessed with brushing his teeth. If allowed, he would brush his teeth twenty times a day. Last week I was at my company picnic at the beach and in the middle of it, Brett looked at me and said, "Brush teeth?" I asked him if he wanted to brush his teeth right then and he told me yes. I am sure he will be the child with a toothbrush and toothpaste in his backpack.
• Sumo Wrestler – Brett loves to sleep and eat and tackle anyone in his way. Need I say more about this profession?
• Petrologist – I had to look up the accurate name for this. It is a scientist who studies rocks. Brett loves to pick up rocks. Almost every day he has to select a rock from the driveway to carry with him to daycare. He is not quite two, so for obvious reasons, we have had to establish the rule that the rock stays in the car and does not go into daycare. He also keeps a little stash of rocks on the back porch. If we are out somewhere and see rocks, he has to stop and always wants to take one with. (Sorry to everyone in South Haven missing rocks from their landscaping…)
• Comedic Actor – Brett loves to make people laugh. And once he figures out he can, he tries even harder. He is also incredibly charming. He would be the perfect leading man in a romantic comedy. Although, he would probably need to hit the gym with a trainer (see the previous sumo wrestler description!).
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Just My Humble Opinion...
Rarely am I political on the blog. But I have a few things on my mind lately…
Having recently started a new job, I have been learning about the company. I work for a Community and Migrant Health Center. What does that mean? It means I work for an organization that, through federal funding from the Community and Migrant Health Center Act enacted in the 1970's, provides basic health care for the underserved population. The act was intended to recognize that, despite Medicaid and Medicare, there was still a population that needed access to health care, like the homeless or the migrant farm workers.
So you're probably still asking what that means, right? It means we operate clinics that provide basic medical and dental care. Some of our patients have insurance and pay for services through insurance and copays, just like many of us. And some of our patients have Medicaid or Medicare. And some of our patients qualify for a sliding fee program, where the amount they pay is adjusted based on their family income. The money we write off through the adjustment is covered by federal funding.
So here's where I start to get a little political. There are 47 million Americans without health insurance and 35 million without access to a doctor. I realize my view of history is somewhat arrived at by the compelling stories and beautiful cinematography of films like Seabiscuit and Cinderella Man. I'm sure this is not the true reality. But I also believe, there is some basic truth about the values of a nation in those stories. During the Depression and the rebuilding years after, Americans helped one another. Americans took care of each other. They cared about people they didn't even know, because they were people. Where has that gone?
Right before I left my old job I was telling someone about InterCare and what they do. She made a flippant comment about why are they helping those migrant workers when there are people from our own country that need help. I've also heard comments made about people needing to work hard and not simply taking handouts. I agree people should do what they are capable of doing. But some people ARE doing what they are capable of and can't find a job, or work full time but are not paid enough to afford health insurance or to pay medical bills. They are stuck between a rock and a hard place. And Migrant workers come to our country to work hard. I hear people complain about them coming into America, but I never hear a complaint from someone that their fruit is too damn cheap. Farmers depend on migrant workers to do the jobs that too many Americans think they are too good for or are too much work.
I have heard heartbreaking stories since I started working here. One that I can't seem to forget is about a migrant worker in Michigan this summer. He came here to earn money to take back to Mexico to support his family. His family stayed behind, while he came here to work for months. While he has been here, his wife got ill and died. He could not afford to go back home. This poor man has lost his wife, has not had the opportunity to go home and say goodbye or to comfort his children. He is stuck in a foreign land, doing incredibly demanding physical work every day, worried about his children. He is just one of the stories of an entire subculture of depressed men working in the fields. They are away from their families doing what they have to do to survive. So their children can survive.
I took my new job because I want to make a difference. I believe in taking care of people, not because they have earned the right to health care, but because they are human beings and deserve respect and deserve basic health care. Being healthy and alive should not be a privilege of the rich. You hear America referred to as a "rich" nation. We are not a rich nation, we are a nation with rich people living in it. We are a nation where when the debt crisis was being debated soldiers that are willing to sacrifice their lives for the lives of others were told they were not guaranteed a paycheck, but the rich were assured they would not have to pay more in taxes.
Shame on all the multimillionaires out there who fight to not have their taxes raised. Is having 4 million dollars really that different for them than having 2 million? Does it make their lives better enough to sacrifice the life of a single mother working at a grocery store and dying of breast cancer because she can't afford treatment, but because she works, doesn't qualify for government assistance? I'm not rich. There are many times when we are watching the bank account closely the day before pay day and hoping everything balances out. And some people might say I spend foolishly, but even though I know finances are tight sometimes, I am always willing to donate to a cause that helps people. That is who I am and what I believe in. I am proud to be making a difference for people that need help.
Having recently started a new job, I have been learning about the company. I work for a Community and Migrant Health Center. What does that mean? It means I work for an organization that, through federal funding from the Community and Migrant Health Center Act enacted in the 1970's, provides basic health care for the underserved population. The act was intended to recognize that, despite Medicaid and Medicare, there was still a population that needed access to health care, like the homeless or the migrant farm workers.
So you're probably still asking what that means, right? It means we operate clinics that provide basic medical and dental care. Some of our patients have insurance and pay for services through insurance and copays, just like many of us. And some of our patients have Medicaid or Medicare. And some of our patients qualify for a sliding fee program, where the amount they pay is adjusted based on their family income. The money we write off through the adjustment is covered by federal funding.
So here's where I start to get a little political. There are 47 million Americans without health insurance and 35 million without access to a doctor. I realize my view of history is somewhat arrived at by the compelling stories and beautiful cinematography of films like Seabiscuit and Cinderella Man. I'm sure this is not the true reality. But I also believe, there is some basic truth about the values of a nation in those stories. During the Depression and the rebuilding years after, Americans helped one another. Americans took care of each other. They cared about people they didn't even know, because they were people. Where has that gone?
Right before I left my old job I was telling someone about InterCare and what they do. She made a flippant comment about why are they helping those migrant workers when there are people from our own country that need help. I've also heard comments made about people needing to work hard and not simply taking handouts. I agree people should do what they are capable of doing. But some people ARE doing what they are capable of and can't find a job, or work full time but are not paid enough to afford health insurance or to pay medical bills. They are stuck between a rock and a hard place. And Migrant workers come to our country to work hard. I hear people complain about them coming into America, but I never hear a complaint from someone that their fruit is too damn cheap. Farmers depend on migrant workers to do the jobs that too many Americans think they are too good for or are too much work.
I have heard heartbreaking stories since I started working here. One that I can't seem to forget is about a migrant worker in Michigan this summer. He came here to earn money to take back to Mexico to support his family. His family stayed behind, while he came here to work for months. While he has been here, his wife got ill and died. He could not afford to go back home. This poor man has lost his wife, has not had the opportunity to go home and say goodbye or to comfort his children. He is stuck in a foreign land, doing incredibly demanding physical work every day, worried about his children. He is just one of the stories of an entire subculture of depressed men working in the fields. They are away from their families doing what they have to do to survive. So their children can survive.
I took my new job because I want to make a difference. I believe in taking care of people, not because they have earned the right to health care, but because they are human beings and deserve respect and deserve basic health care. Being healthy and alive should not be a privilege of the rich. You hear America referred to as a "rich" nation. We are not a rich nation, we are a nation with rich people living in it. We are a nation where when the debt crisis was being debated soldiers that are willing to sacrifice their lives for the lives of others were told they were not guaranteed a paycheck, but the rich were assured they would not have to pay more in taxes.
Shame on all the multimillionaires out there who fight to not have their taxes raised. Is having 4 million dollars really that different for them than having 2 million? Does it make their lives better enough to sacrifice the life of a single mother working at a grocery store and dying of breast cancer because she can't afford treatment, but because she works, doesn't qualify for government assistance? I'm not rich. There are many times when we are watching the bank account closely the day before pay day and hoping everything balances out. And some people might say I spend foolishly, but even though I know finances are tight sometimes, I am always willing to donate to a cause that helps people. That is who I am and what I believe in. I am proud to be making a difference for people that need help.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Have Ya Missed Me?
So I haven't been blogging much lately. And I really have no excuse, other than I haven't even gotten the computer out much lately. So what have I been doing other than not blogging?
• I have been starting my new job, which I LOVE! I have been through orientation, gotten settled in, and started working on a few projects. I am going to be launching the new eLearning system, redesigning the new employee orientation, taking over coordinating the student placements, and possibly coordinating and conducting some training on a very cool accountability program. Exciting stuff. I have already moved from one desk to another – I started in a cubicle and they moved me into a shared office. Everyone is really friendly and I feel like I fit right in.
• I quit my side job, freelance editing. It was just getting to be too much. But before I quit I had a huge load of reports for July. So I was a little crabby for a couple weeks when all I did was work all day, do dinner and bedtime with the kids, then work on editing until I went to bed.
• Now that I don't have to get the computer out for editing, I am not on facebook nearly as much as I used to be. Surprisingly, I don't miss it as much as I thought I would. It is a HUGE time sucker and I find I am filling the time with reading books and magazines, which I get much more enjoyment and relaxation out of.
• Since the computer is not out, as you can see, the blog has been a little neglected as well. I have actually still been doing some writing, just not blog posts. I've been writing out my experiences from the past year. Not sure if getting it all out on paper will be cathartic, or what I will do with it once I have it all down, but I'm just trying to go with the flow.
• I have been living with a couple of miniature Jeckyl and Hydes. Both the boys are in quite the love 'em or hate 'em phase. Jack is strongly asserting his five-year-oldness about a month early. He is learning some hard lessons about who is in charge at our house and what is acceptable and what is not. Brett has entered the "I do it!!!" phase. He wants to do everything himself and is adamantly opposed to any form of help. They have their cute moments, though. When Brett is trying to do something himself and can't quite get it, he will say, in a very frustrated tone, "Dang it!" And Jack's imagination is a constant source of entertainment, but he has also found a little bit of his cuddly nature again. I often get an "I love you mommy" with a hug out of the blue.
• Finally, I have been birthday party planner extraordinaire. The craziness of having two boys with birthdays a week apart is once again hitting me. I have been planning two birthday parties for my little men. Brett is very into boats right now, so his party will have a sailboat theme and will be held at the marina. Jack is obsessed with the cartoon Ben 10 right now, so he is having a Ben 10 party at the park, complete with a Ben 10 pinata he is super excited about! I spent almost a week finding all the party supplies online and ordering them up. Now I have a huge box of "stuff" in our laundry room waiting for the big days.
So not blogging has kept me pretty busy. I have to say, time well spent though. I have read and loved The Help and have a stack of books I can't wait to get to. And I have made a small dent in my stack of magazines. The boys will have fabulously fun parties that I plan to take a ton of pictures of. But I have been itching to get back to the blog, so keep watching!
• I have been starting my new job, which I LOVE! I have been through orientation, gotten settled in, and started working on a few projects. I am going to be launching the new eLearning system, redesigning the new employee orientation, taking over coordinating the student placements, and possibly coordinating and conducting some training on a very cool accountability program. Exciting stuff. I have already moved from one desk to another – I started in a cubicle and they moved me into a shared office. Everyone is really friendly and I feel like I fit right in.
• I quit my side job, freelance editing. It was just getting to be too much. But before I quit I had a huge load of reports for July. So I was a little crabby for a couple weeks when all I did was work all day, do dinner and bedtime with the kids, then work on editing until I went to bed.
• Now that I don't have to get the computer out for editing, I am not on facebook nearly as much as I used to be. Surprisingly, I don't miss it as much as I thought I would. It is a HUGE time sucker and I find I am filling the time with reading books and magazines, which I get much more enjoyment and relaxation out of.
• Since the computer is not out, as you can see, the blog has been a little neglected as well. I have actually still been doing some writing, just not blog posts. I've been writing out my experiences from the past year. Not sure if getting it all out on paper will be cathartic, or what I will do with it once I have it all down, but I'm just trying to go with the flow.
• I have been living with a couple of miniature Jeckyl and Hydes. Both the boys are in quite the love 'em or hate 'em phase. Jack is strongly asserting his five-year-oldness about a month early. He is learning some hard lessons about who is in charge at our house and what is acceptable and what is not. Brett has entered the "I do it!!!" phase. He wants to do everything himself and is adamantly opposed to any form of help. They have their cute moments, though. When Brett is trying to do something himself and can't quite get it, he will say, in a very frustrated tone, "Dang it!" And Jack's imagination is a constant source of entertainment, but he has also found a little bit of his cuddly nature again. I often get an "I love you mommy" with a hug out of the blue.
• Finally, I have been birthday party planner extraordinaire. The craziness of having two boys with birthdays a week apart is once again hitting me. I have been planning two birthday parties for my little men. Brett is very into boats right now, so his party will have a sailboat theme and will be held at the marina. Jack is obsessed with the cartoon Ben 10 right now, so he is having a Ben 10 party at the park, complete with a Ben 10 pinata he is super excited about! I spent almost a week finding all the party supplies online and ordering them up. Now I have a huge box of "stuff" in our laundry room waiting for the big days.
So not blogging has kept me pretty busy. I have to say, time well spent though. I have read and loved The Help and have a stack of books I can't wait to get to. And I have made a small dent in my stack of magazines. The boys will have fabulously fun parties that I plan to take a ton of pictures of. But I have been itching to get back to the blog, so keep watching!
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