Month: March 2009

Me in a nutshell

March 18, 2009

My roommates and I attended the Myers Briggs Type Indicator Assessment seminar and dinner tonight, which was for TWC students in my building alone that wanted to learn more about who they really are. I am a slight to moderate ISFJ.

I=Introversion
N=Intuition
F=Feeling
P=Perceiving

I have to admit-it was right on. I was reading the type profile for me and it hits me right on the head. It was an interesting perspective, especially since my roommates and I are on difference sides of the scales. Such as with Sheila, we discovered in the seminar that she is extraversion-she draw energy from being around people though she is cautious to disclose information. Meanwhile I am introversion-I draw energy from being by myself though I disclose information freely.

It was also interesting to note that I am very easy to manipulate-or persuade-and my roommates laughed and was quick to agree. I haven’t decided what I want to think on that one-though it does not really bother me.

Anyways, I did like my “characteristics frequently associated” with my ISFJs. Here’s mine:

” Quiet, friendly, responsible, and conscientious. Committed and stead in meeting their obligations. Thorough, painstaking, and accurate. Loyal, considerate, notice and remember specifics about people who are important to them, concerned with how others feel. Strive to create an orderly and harmonious environment at work and at home.”

“Plus-sized model”

March 16, 2009

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/03/16/kiss-my-fat-ass-says-meghan-mccain

This article infuriated me. How dare Laura Ingraham  mock McCain as a “Valley Girl gone awry” and a “plus-sized model” after McCain’s call for Republicans to seek a compromise with Democrats.

Of all things that Ingraham could have brought into the discussion, such as McCain’s prior remarks, views and experience, she has to choose looks and a put-down that is only centered at women. As a fellow woman, she should not allow, let alone be the one remarking, a comment on a woman’s remarks or actions be answered and commented on by her weight or other stereotypical comments. It sets the precedence for others to belittle women’s thoughts and actions without giving it serious thought.

How can women expect men to take their thoughts seriously when fellow women belittle our own thoughts and actions with snide comments about our weight and being a “valley girl,” which is basically a shallow woman who only cares about herself, clothes and money.

To make matters worse, Ingraham said it was only “teasing” and just satire that McCain should not get upset about. CNN reported Ingraham as saying, “Can I say ‘lighten up,’ or is that offensive too.” Well, she can say it, but it emphasizes her stupidity on the issue.

At least McCain got her points right when she attacked Ann Coulter as being the “face of the Republicans.” McCain never used Coulter’s weight or any other frivolous comments on Coulter as her reasons why Coulter was not the best choice. Instead, her reasons come from Coulter’s professional past and her voiced ideas and thoughts.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-03-09/my-beef-with-ann-coulter/2/

Basically it comes down to the simple fact that women need to remember- if we want to be taken seriously, we have to take ourselves seriously.

Volunteering

March 13, 2009

I volunteered for the first time last night with Greater DC Cares. My night was spent at The Washington Home, a nursing home in Tenleytown, where I wheeled senior citizens downstairs to listen to music. It was the birthday of one man, Big Al, and his family brought dinner and a birthday cake to celebrate. So I was also handed out cake and dinner to the nursing home residents.

It was actually fun. I volunteered with two Australians, a 8-week pregnant woman who is in America with her former Army husband, and Sergio, who is a Navy lawyer. Sergio was pretty nice-he made sure the pregnant woman and I made it back to the metro safe and sound.

There was one resident that brought a smile to my face everytime- this older man who would always smile and talk to me about the music, which he did not like. I have to admit-he was right. It was a piano-saxophone duo, and the instrument playing was great. It was just the piano lady would butcher the songs.

Though interesting, the night did have its challenges especially when I was wheeling an older woman back to her room. She had no clue where her room was so I had to kindof guess the direction to go in until I found an employee to ask. There were also three Alzheimers residents who attended the event that we had to watch closely. We ended up assigning a volunteer to watch them specifically to ensure they did not wander away.

The night did not last long, but it was definitely worth it. I am probably going to go again sometime soon.

Class Debate

March 9, 2009

I just submitted for my first debate for my online course, Principles of Persuasion. I was selected to give the negative argument on the topic “America should abandon the war on drugs.” Here it is:

Sunny Curtis of Paragould was in nursing school when she was first given illegal drugs to stay awake. It was the beginning of a battle that would see her losing custody of her four children and contracting Hepatitis C, commonly transferred through contaminated needles.

Curtis is not alone is this battle. In 1999, Americans spent $63.2 billion on illegal drugs, $37.1 billion of which was spent on cocaine. Cocaine, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, is “a powerfully addictive drug” that can cause violent behavior, heart attacks, respiratory failure, strokes and seizure. It can also make people feel euphoric and energetic.

There were also 15,973 drug-induced deaths in America in 1997, the latest year that death certificate data was published, and the deaths were a direct result from drug consumption-mostly overdoses. If those deaths are not enough, there were 9.9 million people that reported driving under the influence of illicit drugs in 2007 who could have killed themselves or others. These statistics show that drugs are not safe and dangerous as well.

Even if legalized, the argument that these illegal drugs could stabilize and regulate the American economy is far from being able to test positive. The American economy might be a work in progress for years to come, but it will take longer for Americans to have illegal drugs legalized, and to figure out how to tax and sale those same drugs. This is also not even considering the other “war on drugs” currently being fought in Mexico.

More than six thousand people died last year in drug violence and more than one thousand people died in the first eight weeks of 2009 alone, according to a March 8 Associated Press article. The 2009 figure is already increasing as the Mexican drug and smuggling cartels continue their violent competition. How will this deadly competition work out if their main business is legalized in the United States, especially if their violence is already appearing in U.S. states bordering Mexico such as Arizona?

If these illegal drugs, such as cocaine, were legalized, would they really lessen the use and dependence on drugs currently seen? I do not see any evidence that would suggest positive, but the opposite. People would still use drugs, like they still drink alcohol, and the only difference would be on which side of the law those people would be using those drugs. Alcohol, which used to be prohibited, was the cause of 21,634 deaths in 2005, excluding accidents and homicides, and there were 12,928 deaths in 2005 linked to alcoholic liver disease.

At Arkansas State University, six underage male students were charged with possession of alcohol and received referrals to student affairs for further university investigation within the first two weeks of school in the fall 2008 semester. In that same two-week period, an 18-year-old female student was sent to St. Bernards Medical Center for alcohol poisoning, three 21-year-old male students were charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor and one male student was arrested off-campus by Jonesboro Police for driving while intoxicated.

In today’s society, saying people are ill-informed of the consequences of alcohol and other drugs should not be considered an excuse. There are multiple TV shows and ads broadcasting the facts and results of using alcohol or illegal drugs, and pamphlets and lessons handed out and taught about alcohol and illegal drugs at schools and universities, health clinics and afterschool programs. I personally know articles have been written on both subjects since I have written about the results of both, such as my Sept. 4, 2008, article detailing the consequences of drinking on campus. People are educated on the topic, so it is just not stopping their use of illegal drugs or even alcohol, a legal drug.

It was only through our war on drugs that Curtis said her life was saved. She was in the Craighead County Detention Center when she received a Bible, which she said she read only because that was all to read. It changed her life. “God was trying to pull me away from the drugs and I was fighting. Eventually he won,” Curtis said. She is now working on her relationship with her children and grandchildren.

The war on drugs will never end. It is a never ending battle, no matter how many alterations to it is made. I do not see how the legalization of illegal drugs will help. If people need the drugs for medical reasons-they are not being stopped. In fact, The Food and Drug Administration approved THC, a pill that is derived from cannabis, for treatment alongside cancer treatments and for AIDS patients as well to maintain their weight. More research is also being done on cannabis as a medical treatment. So if people’s medical needs are being met, is the legalization of these illegal drugs necessary?

In all, I do not consider the argument of abandoning the war on drugs a valid discussion. It is a war that is necessary to save the lives of people that choose to do drugs and anyone else affected by their decision. It is also a war that will likely never end.

http://www.jonesborosun.com, “Agape House.” Part 2. July 21, 2008 http://www.washingtonpost.com, “Source: Mullen offers Mexico update to Obama.” (AP) March 8, 2009 http://www.ncjrs.gov Office of National Drug Control Policy http://oas.samhas.gov Results from the 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/concern/concern.htm U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration http://www.cdc.gov http://www.alcoholism.about.com/cs/pot/f/mjp_faq23.htm http://www.asuherald.com, “Alcohol: already a problem on campus this semester.” September 4, 2008

NYC Ballet

March 8, 2009

My roommate Ever and  I attended our first ballet performance today at The Kennedy Center. It was the matinee performance with the New York City Ballet, which consisted of dances to Mercurial Manoeuvres (Dmitri Shostakovich), Slice to Sharp (Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber and Antonio Vivaldi), and Brahms-Schoenberg Quartet (Johannes Brahms).

I have to say, I loved it. It was entrancing. We entered late so we only saw half of the first, which was one of my favorites along with the third one. These two parts were more traditional and, of course, more romantic (at least the third one was.) I enjoyed the more “classical” ballet performance more than the more modern version, such as the second part. In the words of another woman that attended, “It was so primitive that you got the sense that they were smelling each other.” This modern part also included more raw and jerky movement, while the other two parts were more smooth and flowing.

Lol, Ever liked the second part the best. We definitely discovered today that we have a lot of differences in art. This discovery is not going to stop us though from attending more events together. We would like to attend the opera next and possibly catch another ballet.

Let It Snow

March 2, 2009

Sheila got lucky today: it snowed for her birthday allowing her to have the day off work. It was a gorgeous day outside today, if a little slick.

We decorated the apartment and gave her a photo album telling a “Once Upon A Time,” story of our TWC journey. I must say it was a great story since I was the one that wrote it to coordinate with the pictures. 😀

The Washington Center still hosted their Career Boot Camp today. I attended  “How To Get Noticed: Outstanding Resumes and Cover Letters” and “Negotiating Your First Salary.” They were both great seminars, especially the second one. We received copies of both powerpoints which contained multiple samples of every step we should follow in writing resumes and cover letters or in talking about salaries.

I must admit the salary seminar was the one I was most interested in-I had no clue what I was going to do for this area.

A Walk To Remember

March 1, 2009

I got us lost.

Yes, my roommates Sheila and Caylah actually listened to me when I said I knew the way home during our walk around town today. We had opened the window blinds this morning to discover an insanely amount of snow on the apartment’s pool area and decided to scope out Rockville for possible playing-in-the-snow areas. All we discovered was that the snow was pratically non-existent except for what was near our pool area.

Still, the walk turned interesting as I pointed us in the wrong direction on accident, which we did not figure out until we were near the Interstate. It was a great walk, but was tiring after all the walking we did yesterday when we went to the Smithsonian Zoo and later into DC.

Once at the zoo, we got to see the red pandas, water cats, and cheetahs, which are near extinct according to a zoo sign. The pandas were roughhousing with each other when we saw them. One of the pandas climbed a nearby tree and I half-expected it to jump onto the second one.

Don't mess with the sloth bears-They mean business.
Don’t mess with the sloth bears-They mean business.

It has been a great weekend, and happily it does not end tonight. Sheila’s birthday is tomorrow, and we have some surprises planned for her. Tomorrow is also the day for the TWC Career Boot Camp. I am signed up for the seminars- How to Get Your Foot in the Door and Negotiating Your First Salary. Hopefully they both are information-filled and not cancelled.

It is snowing pretty good outside now-Sheila, Caylah, Chris and I just got back from a snowball fight outside. The snow was coming down heavily and a good amount was already sticking to the floor. If enough sticks to close the federal buildings then the boot camp will be closed as well.