June 2005 – Page 2

Reading, Writing, Retailing

Dave Eggers (who I have a huge lit-crush on) co-authors a great op/ed in the New York Times about the teaching profession. It is completely ridiculous, he asserts, that teachers are so under-paid that they often have to take on second jobs just to support their families.

There’s almost something darkly comic about it all. We place the highest demands on a profession, and not just through the teacher-quality provisions of the legislation. We have unarticulated expectations that teachers be morally and ethically unimpeachable, possessed of dynamic, compelling personalities and agile minds and capable of guiding the learning, for example, of 35 hormonally charged 13-year-olds right after lunch.

After asking that of them, we pay them so little that they have to find work selling electronics and cleaning our houses. Is it any surprise that 45 percent of new teachers leave our schools within the first five years?

He’s right; it’s about time we started paying teachers fairly.

Stupid Oracle

I don’t drink Starbucks. We have too many little coffee shops in town that I love to support to submit myself to Starbucks coffee. Nonetheless, as per my usual order of a grande soy latte with Irish Creme, the Starbucks Oracle labels me:

Personality type: Hippie

In addition to being a hippie, you are a hypochondriac health nut. You secretly think that your insistence on only consuming all-natural products is because you’re so intelligent and well-informed; it’s actually because you’re a sucker. You’ve dabbled in Wicca or other pseudo-religions that attract morons and have changed your sexual orientation a few times this year. You probably live in California. Everyone who drinks Grande Soy Latte with Irish Creme should be forced to eat a McDonald’s bacon cheeseburger.

Also drinks: Beverages with lots of marketing that says they’re herbal and organic
Can also be found at: Whole Foods, indoor rock climbing facilities

The funny thing is that none of this is true. I’m definitely not a hippie, a hypochondriac, or a health nut. I don’t insist on ingesting organic foods, I’ve never dabbled in Wicca, and have always been of one boring sexual orientation.

I drink soy because cow milk makes me fart. Too bad the oracle didn’t forsee that one.

via After School Snack

Guess My Trip

After much deep thought, the boyfriend and I decided that a trip to Arkansas alone was too little for our short vacation next weekend. We decided to stay one day in my parents’ old stomping grounds so I can visit the few places I want to see, and then we’re off to someplace guiltily fun. Oh the thrills! Chills!

First person to guess where we’re going from this picture gets an extra copy of my Mixmania summer CD. No cheating.

Sex songs

Lauren recently blogged on sad songs, and the comments section adds a lot more to the list (for the record, I think Nina Simone’s “Ooh Child” is about the most heartbreaking song I’ve ever heard).

So now, a new question: What is the best sex song? (And please, please do not say “Crash” by Dave Matthews Band. Please). My vote is for Led Zeppelin, “Since I’ve Been Loving You.”

Decision 2005

Who is the hottest not-Obama senator? (Obama is disqualified for his overwhelming hotness, which would surely scorch all the competition). It’s down to just four. Cast your vote now.

They clearly made a few oversights (Hello, Thad Cochran). But I think Wonkette speaks for all of us when she writes, “Gee, three out of for from the left side of the aisle, eh? And we thought coming out against ass-fucking just made women seem less hot.”

Putting parents back in charge of their adolescent daughters

From the “Cheers and Jeers” section of Women’s eNews:

The Republican-led New York State Senate passed a bill Wednesday to allow local pharmacists to dispense emergency contraception to women without prescription, according to combined news reports.

Fabulous. Now both my “home” states — Washington and New York — have sensible rules regarding access to EC (assuming that Gov. Pataki signs the legislation, which he likely will).

But in not-so-great news:

Female teens who try to obtain contraceptives may have to wait at least five days for their parents to be notified, according to the Parents’ Right-to-Know Act, which was re-introduced Tuesday in Congress.

Italian update

Still going strong in Sardinia. This weekend, we went sailing, and it was absolutely beautiful. Pictures:

Sailing1

Sailing3

Get to know your (other) blogger

I’ve been away from the internet for the past couple days, and came back to find that Lauren started what I think is a fantastic game — “get to know your blogger.” And, since there is nothing I like better than copying Lauren’s fantastic games, I’m gonna go in on this one, too. I’ll post answers on Friday.

Get To Know Your Blogger, Part II

Meet my other half.

Bloglines

When Bloglines goes down I have no idea what to do with my computer other than play Freecell. What did I do before Bloglines?