Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Why do I have to get married to get stuff?!
All during my friend’s bridal shower this weekend I was thinking…what if I don’t get married- do I not get to register and get some house gifts?! It seems unfair that I won’t have the chance to get nice pots and pans or dishes or towels or coffee makers or bedspreads! Why do you have to get married to get all that stuff? I need those things regardless if I am married or not! Just because I don’t have a husband or a family doesn’t mean I don’t cook (well I don’t) or want to live in a nice, decorated home (I do). So I decided that if I am not married by the time I am 30 (which the way things are going is a strong possibility) I am going to have a 30th birthday registry! I won’t go too expensive, but I still will register for all the essential items that I still deserve☺. If I have to buy all my friends gifts when they get married, they should have to do the same for me even if I don’t. If I eventually get married, I just won’t register for things I already have. After all, most of them will get divorced and they will still have all their nice wedding gifts to use in their single life. While I, single, will still have nothing.
Monday, April 12, 2010
You know what I hate...
When people spell my name wrong and the correct spelling is RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM. Honestly, look at what you're writing. Thank you.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Teaching Salaries
It really bothers me how much educators complain about their pay. I have a very simple reason why...BECAUSE THEY DONT GET PAID POORLY. Educators get 12 weeks built in vacation (thanksgiving, winter break, spring break and summer), in addition to sick leave and personal days each year. Every other job you have to take off for your vacations- in education, it's built in. So while educators may not rack up the vacation days like other people can to take months off at a time, they have it pretty damn good.
It you take all that time off- 12 weeks each year- you realize that educators are paid (starting at $40,000 a year in Virginia) for 180 days. They are contracted to work 7.5 hours a day. That is 37.5 hours a week. If you figure out how much that is per hour- it is 26 starting pay. This does not make someone a millionaire, but is much better pay than many people make after many years of work. And if you work in education for a while, you can easily get tenure (though you might have to switch schools once in a while) and under normal economic circumstances, you always get a pay raise.
Also, that friend you know that came out of college making $60,000/year in an investment job? Ya, well she also works 60-80 hour weeks, so I say good for her to make that much money. As an eductor, YOU CAN HAVE A LIFE. You get off at a decent hour, and after your first few years as a teacher, you don't need to plan as much outside work. As a counselor, I rarely have to plan outside of school. Also, you can do your work at home, unlike many of your friends who are investment bankers at the office til 1am.
So I wish educators would stop complaining. Right now no one is making great money, but at least you have a job. If you do the math, you make just as much as the other jobs, you just work less. Get a summer job- babysit, wait tables, manage a pool, teach summer school, tutor or enjoy it! We don't need to be millionaires to enjoy life.
It you take all that time off- 12 weeks each year- you realize that educators are paid (starting at $40,000 a year in Virginia) for 180 days. They are contracted to work 7.5 hours a day. That is 37.5 hours a week. If you figure out how much that is per hour- it is 26 starting pay. This does not make someone a millionaire, but is much better pay than many people make after many years of work. And if you work in education for a while, you can easily get tenure (though you might have to switch schools once in a while) and under normal economic circumstances, you always get a pay raise.
Also, that friend you know that came out of college making $60,000/year in an investment job? Ya, well she also works 60-80 hour weeks, so I say good for her to make that much money. As an eductor, YOU CAN HAVE A LIFE. You get off at a decent hour, and after your first few years as a teacher, you don't need to plan as much outside work. As a counselor, I rarely have to plan outside of school. Also, you can do your work at home, unlike many of your friends who are investment bankers at the office til 1am.
So I wish educators would stop complaining. Right now no one is making great money, but at least you have a job. If you do the math, you make just as much as the other jobs, you just work less. Get a summer job- babysit, wait tables, manage a pool, teach summer school, tutor or enjoy it! We don't need to be millionaires to enjoy life.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
10k!
Today I competed in my second race ever, the Monument Avenue 10k. It was a blast! I went with my mom and 35,000 other racers. I orginally planned to walk the event with my mom, but I got so pumped up that halfway to the 2nd mile, I just started running and couldn't stop! My poor mom was left behind. The course was beautiful and flat, and the temperature was a little chilly, so the conditions were perfect for my type of running (I like cooler weather and no hills!). There was great music and great spectators cheering us on! I knew tons of people doing the event, but due to my starting wave I only saw about 4 people I knew there. I finished the race in 69 minutes, which considering I walked much of the first 2 miles was great time. Next year I am going to train to run it and hopefully get my time to 60 minutes or under. I am also running a 5k in May, which I ran last year, and aim to finish that in under 30 minutes. Races are really fun and help me enjoy running more, since I have a goal in mind!
I am paying for not training now though- I am sore and know I will be even sorer tomorrow. I even have huge blister on the bottom of my left foot. But I have new shoes and am ready to begin training again! Such a fun morning:).
I am paying for not training now though- I am sore and know I will be even sorer tomorrow. I even have huge blister on the bottom of my left foot. But I have new shoes and am ready to begin training again! Such a fun morning:).
Sunday, February 28, 2010
History Repeating Itself
In college I was a history minor. I was only two classes away from a major and basically did it so that if I needed to fall back on teaching as a career, I had background to do it. I remember in history learning about all the evils imposed on societies from around the world. Whether it was towards women, blacks, slaves or Jews, evil seems to always find its way into our world in an acceptable manner. In America it was slaves, certain religions, certain ethnicities, political views or sexual identitiy. It never ends and many evils only recently ended, while others are still happening.
I always thought that people were ultimately good at heart. This belief has been in question the past few years. If people are truly good, why does crime occur? Why are people still denied their rights to marry who they want or to have the family they desire? Why are we still racist? Why does not everyone have health care? Why do children or spouses get abused and assaulted? Why do innocent college kids get shot on campus? Not everyone who does these horrible things is insane- smart and educated people are multiculturally incompetent and intolerable. It is getting harder and harder to belief that people are ultimately good.
I read a lot of books about America in the 19th and 20th centuries. Crimes and ways of life that were ok then are seem as horrendous now. How long til what we do now will seem that way? We think it was so horrible that slaves existed or that blacks were discriminated against. How long until we think the same thing of the LGBTQ population and their rights? How long til we think that denying health care to citizens was outrageous? When will we wake up and stop politics from becoming a game of this-for-that and under the table favors and really involve ourselves in what we believe in for the good of our country- for the good of society? When will public schools get the support they need to educate our students to be productive citizens of the future? When will it really be acceptable for a woman to never marry or have children and we do not judge her? God knows progress has been made but for the US being a society of the future, our views and rights are embarrassing.
When, when, when. I may be an idealist, but I used to be much more of a believer in the good of people. Now all I see is selfishness and schemes. Our race will not be around forever, and I can only hope that someday after I am gone, I can be around to somehow witness the future generations realize our mistakes and take it in their own hands to make the world a better place.
I always thought that people were ultimately good at heart. This belief has been in question the past few years. If people are truly good, why does crime occur? Why are people still denied their rights to marry who they want or to have the family they desire? Why are we still racist? Why does not everyone have health care? Why do children or spouses get abused and assaulted? Why do innocent college kids get shot on campus? Not everyone who does these horrible things is insane- smart and educated people are multiculturally incompetent and intolerable. It is getting harder and harder to belief that people are ultimately good.
I read a lot of books about America in the 19th and 20th centuries. Crimes and ways of life that were ok then are seem as horrendous now. How long til what we do now will seem that way? We think it was so horrible that slaves existed or that blacks were discriminated against. How long until we think the same thing of the LGBTQ population and their rights? How long til we think that denying health care to citizens was outrageous? When will we wake up and stop politics from becoming a game of this-for-that and under the table favors and really involve ourselves in what we believe in for the good of our country- for the good of society? When will public schools get the support they need to educate our students to be productive citizens of the future? When will it really be acceptable for a woman to never marry or have children and we do not judge her? God knows progress has been made but for the US being a society of the future, our views and rights are embarrassing.
When, when, when. I may be an idealist, but I used to be much more of a believer in the good of people. Now all I see is selfishness and schemes. Our race will not be around forever, and I can only hope that someday after I am gone, I can be around to somehow witness the future generations realize our mistakes and take it in their own hands to make the world a better place.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Valentine's Day
This day comes every year. People in relationships scramble to think of romantic gifts or events to plan. Single people lament that they don't have anyone to celebrate this day with. They get lonely.
I am neither of these people.
It might be odd, but Valentine's Day never has meant much to me. In a relationship or not, I find the day stupid and really don't pay it any attention. I am never bitter nor do I ever feel under any pressure. It is a holiday created by someone to create a "pop" in our economy. Maybe I am looking at it the wrong way, but it really is just a made up holiday- it's not religious or spiritual or a holiday in honor of a great person. So why do people care so much?
Now if you will excuse me, I am going to enjoy some delicious chocolate candies that I bought for myself at the grocery store:).
I am neither of these people.
It might be odd, but Valentine's Day never has meant much to me. In a relationship or not, I find the day stupid and really don't pay it any attention. I am never bitter nor do I ever feel under any pressure. It is a holiday created by someone to create a "pop" in our economy. Maybe I am looking at it the wrong way, but it really is just a made up holiday- it's not religious or spiritual or a holiday in honor of a great person. So why do people care so much?
Now if you will excuse me, I am going to enjoy some delicious chocolate candies that I bought for myself at the grocery store:).
Friday, February 5, 2010
SNOWpocalypse
As much as I hate snow, I also don't always hate it. Here is a taste of what I've seen excessively the past 7 weeks.
Virginia has had 3 snowstorms in this winter, which is very odd and annoying. I am getting over my annoyances, though, because there is absolutely nothing I can do about it. Sometimes I just have to let go and live. I am working on it!
Virginia has had 3 snowstorms in this winter, which is very odd and annoying. I am getting over my annoyances, though, because there is absolutely nothing I can do about it. Sometimes I just have to let go and live. I am working on it!
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