tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61704163037501197622024-03-14T02:36:54.735-04:00Dear Diane,Julia K Burzonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440379389897118745noreply@blogger.comBlogger96125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170416303750119762.post-33734274291342443122014-03-02T11:43:00.001-05:002014-03-02T12:08:00.743-05:00Dear Potential Employer,Ah, I see you've found my blog. I started this back in 2011 while exploring writing and blogging as a way to encourage folks suffering from anxiety and depression, particularly post-partum depression (PPD), to seek treatment and not give up... among other topics of interest to me. <div><br></div><div>Cutting to the chase:</div><div>Am I capable of GS 12–14 level work? Absolutely. Please contact my references. </div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Can I catch up on changes that occurred during my diversion? Of course. I have always been a good learner. No worries there. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">How will I adjust to the added pressures, the responsibility? Will I crack? No employee can promise this. But what I can say is that I have been through a crucible of sorts that I believe has made me stronger, deeper, and wiser. I am not ashamed. I believe I have been improved by the experiences of motherhood and its fallout, not weakened. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">I can assure any new employer that I have taken none of my experiences of anxiety or depression lying down. I have been actively treated by an excellent physician, Dr. Milena Hruby Smith, MD, PhD for the past eight years. I have also been involved in as many years of individual and group therapy. I have learned a great deal and stocked my mental toolbox so that it now fairly bristles with coping tools. This can only be an asset. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">So contact my references. Interview me. Hire me! I am honest, smart, creative, detail-oriented, and hard-working. </font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">http://blogs.hbr.org/2014/01/why-i-hired-an-executive-with-a-mental-illness/</font></div><div><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif">Let me be this person for you. </font></div>Julia K Burzonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440379389897118745noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170416303750119762.post-39196538689347532142012-11-07T01:55:00.001-05:002012-11-07T01:55:39.360-05:00US Election 2012<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcMjDk88i_7dpVt8i6x3aJOMMsJELRDKDPYgmKjE5rDf_IL5oZl6Lvl69I66PmMKyecte5FY09cn_FVMDWjyIiMHgj02OMDMMGdj7oQ3JJanOJdezCo4Agpa0zwvZmMPb23NKae_4_uWA/s640/blogger-image-1468751065.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcMjDk88i_7dpVt8i6x3aJOMMsJELRDKDPYgmKjE5rDf_IL5oZl6Lvl69I66PmMKyecte5FY09cn_FVMDWjyIiMHgj02OMDMMGdj7oQ3JJanOJdezCo4Agpa0zwvZmMPb23NKae_4_uWA/s640/blogger-image-1468751065.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji0Mi6NAIvUns5uHLOJAl8nV87GDWCW4YU5FiaN-OMIh3zFQ1o2whnUGubKSiLfqYIWd-688RLxapOfG89khVtn5_iQJIBdzWXNs3LUBiu2O9pQd4WiUmhyphenhyphenwv_ZMVxTPEZVhAOIHKgIQc/s640/blogger-image-169408844.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji0Mi6NAIvUns5uHLOJAl8nV87GDWCW4YU5FiaN-OMIh3zFQ1o2whnUGubKSiLfqYIWd-688RLxapOfG89khVtn5_iQJIBdzWXNs3LUBiu2O9pQd4WiUmhyphenhyphenwv_ZMVxTPEZVhAOIHKgIQc/s640/blogger-image-169408844.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXhcP7s7poM4GB67-6ql4oSCver0TUxM_UzZIAJVhIe8SCZj97R2giln0VBNJ1DkI0gQMOd4eKlfeCmesvmWALfg-5fwQmQmpTk672ckCtJ3W5UwnorS1zEBgrwcByvBcIfHwookrGGtE/s640/blogger-image-1037249800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXhcP7s7poM4GB67-6ql4oSCver0TUxM_UzZIAJVhIe8SCZj97R2giln0VBNJ1DkI0gQMOd4eKlfeCmesvmWALfg-5fwQmQmpTk672ckCtJ3W5UwnorS1zEBgrwcByvBcIfHwookrGGtE/s640/blogger-image-1037249800.jpg" /></a></div>Julia K Burzonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440379389897118745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170416303750119762.post-15918423772347816312012-09-29T23:14:00.000-04:002012-09-29T23:14:08.807-04:00How did it get to be October? Of 2012?Wow, time goes fast.<br />
<br />
One might have hoped that I got all of my work done on my illustration project over the summer. I certainly did...hope so that is. I did not though. Between being moody and adjusting meds, traveling, recovering from travel, dealing with two kids and an ailing ancient dog, and the rest of whatever happened this summer, I did not get much illustration done, to my regret and chagrin. Granted, it's not like I have a paid period of time in which to do it, but I'd hoped for better. Perhaps you have dutifully brought work along on vacations before? How did that go for you? I, apparently, did not have the necessary discipline to attack it, which is strange, since I should <i>enjoy</i> it. Sigh. I wish more of my behavior was rational sometimes.<br />
<br />
My dog, as I mentioned is ancient. He's going to be 16 in November. I was walking him tonight in my fuzzy robe (or "housecoat" as my mom would've called it), smelling the crisp night air and enjoying the note of some kind of smoke I detected there. I swear I heard a screech owl in the distance. I don't <i>think</i> it was a warbly police siren. My dog hobbled along, unsure of the terrain he couldn't see, crashing over low objects, back legs stiffly straight, to keep his patellas from moving and painfully popping back into the track so overworn in his knees that they'd long slipped out of position. I've had him since mid grad-school. I got him in 1997, a six month old puppy found with his sister on the side of a highway in the middle of Iowa farmland.<br />
<br />
He's seen me through grad school and my anxiety and depression that were finally identified and treated there, graduation, my first full-time non-summer job, marriage, moving back East, my real actual job in my field of study, my first pregnancy, first child, first instance of post-partum depression, interim, second pregnancy, second child, second bout of post-partum depression, and the four years since then including children's growth and my mother's death, until this year, the first that saw the first significant span of real stability of mood in six years. He went from being my only baby to an afterthought, for which I feel quite guilty, but not enough to have acted differently.<br />
<br />
No wise conclusion tonight. We took our time walking up to the corner and back and I didn't mind waiting for him. So many times I've been impatient to get back to a task or tend to myself or sleep or something. Tonight I appreciated him again. I am going to miss him when he's gone. It will be the close of an era for me in my life. I wonder if that's how I'm going to mark my life. Chldhood. Childhood dog. Finish college. Grad school dog. His era. Then the era of the dog that witness my children make it to college or whatever they do. Then the next?<br />
<br />
I don't want to deal with another death. I'm gonna snuggle him for sure tonight.Julia K Burzonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440379389897118745noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170416303750119762.post-31979230148753554582012-07-04T01:43:00.001-04:002012-07-04T01:43:29.080-04:00Happy 4th!Was maybe 25yds from VP tonight for his speech + orchestra + fireworks in downtown Scranton, PA. Fun! My dad lived just 2 blocks or so from his house growing up (& Casey's). Excellent fireworks, music, & speech.<br />
Julia K Burzonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440379389897118745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170416303750119762.post-67972396467300344182012-06-13T20:08:00.000-04:002012-06-13T20:08:03.265-04:00Wordless Wednesday: Heart Stain<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3zMX82Af28hXf3byYbwVoIsEKPdt-dr4Xw5W75N79hMyg2EBldRs6Tn4ZSYXiBNQqsXpSSkI3CWuhcRG0RzLuqP3136MVN9saEQ2bOCIGpm8lDY4eSKEod_PqDtanBOleoXDDTU66U6I/s1600/poopstainheart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3zMX82Af28hXf3byYbwVoIsEKPdt-dr4Xw5W75N79hMyg2EBldRs6Tn4ZSYXiBNQqsXpSSkI3CWuhcRG0RzLuqP3136MVN9saEQ2bOCIGpm8lDY4eSKEod_PqDtanBOleoXDDTU66U6I/s400/poopstainheart.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Heart-shaped baby-poop stain from http://www.erichongisto.com/Matilda/images/IMG_5622.jpg</span></td></tr>
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<br />Julia K Burzonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440379389897118745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170416303750119762.post-89632517310493346302012-06-13T18:26:00.001-04:002014-04-14T21:13:07.258-04:00OnesiesA few interesting articles I saw online today on Psychcentral.com:<br>
<a href="http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2011/01/26/motherhood-and-depression-an-interview-with-tracy-thompson/">Motherhood and depression, An interview with Tracy Thompson</a><br>
<a href="http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/06/11/7-keys-to-becoming-a-positive-person/">Keys to becoming a positive person</a><br>
<a href="http://blogs.psychcentral.com/attachment/2012/05/respectful-child-discipline-starts-with-the-parent/">Respectful child discipline starts with the parent</a><br>
<br>
Regarding this last one, resisting power plays with my children is something with which I often struggle. I guess I was raised with pretty traditional discipline; we were spanked when appropriate, but not overly so and we knew we were loved. Yet I know that I have power issues. It angers me, I feel, too quickly, when I am defied by my kids too often or with attitude. I WANT to wield my power over them, to bend them to my will, maybe even occasionally to break their spirit. Isn't that awful? Why? I'm not sure. If it were someone else, I'd say this behavior indicates someone who does not feel in control of their own life and has a psychological need to see themselves as being in control, with defiance threatening to expose their actual lack of control and therefore threatening the self. <br>
<br>
<a name="more"></a>But, why would I not be in control? It's not like I live in North Korea, right? My husband and I moved back East after he finished his degree in order to be close to parents who needed care... but I think I wanted to do that, to get back home. I wasn't abandoning any dream of being somewhere else. At one time, I did feel very ashamed of how long it took from initial dating until finally marrying my husband (8 years), and that it was I waiting on him year after year to propose.... This involved a distinct period of feeling powerlessness at the time, but I pretty much never think about it any more. And of course I ultimately could have left, but I chose not to do that: again, not powerless.<br>
<br>
My mom had MS, another thing I couldn't control, but it was normal to me and not anything I ever struggled against. It was hard to witness her decline, so I guess there was a certain powerlessness there, but again, I didn't and don't ruminate on it.<br>
<br>
I am overweight, but I don't really feel powerless against that.<br>
<br>
I have sometimes felt angry at having anxiety and depression when pretty much all of my friends do not have this complication. <br>
<br>
I am quite competitive and it does irk me when I see people who have simply had more fortunate circumstances, but isn't that normal? <br>
<br>
I have had complexion issues since the 5th grade, which continue and make me very frustrated because all this was supposed to be OVER by now, dammit! This problem along with reactions to topical medications that caused redness and peeling did definitely mold my self image and sense of worth. I wore nothing without a crew neckline (except for two strapless formal dresses about which I was very self conscious) until I was 33 and was forced into scoop necklines by the maternity-wear industry. Anyway, in school I was convinced my complexion was to blame for my obvious invisibility to boys despite my athletic build. I blamed missing my Junior Prom on this as well.<br>
<br>
Even when I did date, pursuing someone who would have rather been left alone but was doomed by his being the first male ever to pay me a compliment, I accepted the role of the one pleading for attention way way way more often than feeling I had any power. Beggars can't be choosers, right? I went from a first love with whom I was not to admit in public that we were dating and with whom there were to be absolutely no public displays of affection, to someone I loved but was too mentally messed-up to react to properly and who eventually got me to break up with him because he was cheating and wanted out. From there to someone who saw me as a conquest and who never called again after there was no challenge and who enjoyed bragging about that to mutual friends who seemed to coincidentally become distant; then to an embarrassing hook-up with a friend who then also dropped off the map; and finally to a good but very platonic friend who pushed his crush on me to fruition and eventually love and marriage (but not until after cheating and reversing the pursuit so that I was again the one waiting for a decision to be passed upon me). <br>
<br>
Now THAT'S a lot of perceived powerlessness, but would it really manifest itself as needing to be "she-who-must-be-obeyed?" Maybe, I guess. I do still feel knots in my stomach when thinking about these relationships, though that is as things are for me with any past pain, I relive it rather than remember it. It is getting less vivid, but it's taken 20 years and I can still cry over a first love despite now completely understanding the circumstances I was too naive to acknowledge back then. <br>
<br>
My Dad always said I was too sensitive, too emotional. I think that it is simply that the first experiences of love seared themselves so strikingly on my brain that they're like the poop stains on white baby onesies---those suckers will never come out completely no matter what you do.Julia K Burzonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440379389897118745noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170416303750119762.post-73121491865345485422012-06-12T02:16:00.000-04:002014-03-02T10:00:44.809-05:00One Naton ... Indivisable<br>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb8R2DguawUXuEvtK_UQ5GlxA85EK0MB8OHesKBv4pTubb3XuOEyKRZ-G2mDnphSeYm0VmJBWvkrv-Vf1bOZtxlQ92HCdwMIo1Wy3zz0bfTGOK78g_nT4ohyphenhyphensCsd_0Ga3WKmc53YkYEFE/s1600/undergod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb8R2DguawUXuEvtK_UQ5GlxA85EK0MB8OHesKBv4pTubb3XuOEyKRZ-G2mDnphSeYm0VmJBWvkrv-Vf1bOZtxlQ92HCdwMIo1Wy3zz0bfTGOK78g_nT4ohyphenhyphensCsd_0Ga3WKmc53YkYEFE/s320/undergod.jpg" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Wow this scares and saddens me. There are no atheist patriots?! <br>What about Buddhist? Hindu? Zoroastrian? Sikh? Native American Religions?</i></span></td></tr>
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I can't write much because it is already late and I promised I'd get to bed by now, but I just wanted to mention something I experienced in the last day or so. I got into a "discussion" on Facebook with a friend and her friends over the "under God" part of the Pledge of Allegiance. Apparently a student somewhere refused to stand for the Pledge as a protest over that and my friend went off on how disrespectful she felt that was and how angry she was about it. I'll put my responses below, just FYI. A friend of my friend chimed in that the student and her parents who raised her so badly could/should be shipped off to some other country.<br>
<br>
<a name="more"></a><br>
I was just very struck at how differently these people felt and thought from myself. I guess I spend a lot of my time sort of assuming that I'm in the midst of people who are more tolerant than this. Our discussion was respectful of each other, but not of the subject, her parents, or actions. I think part of my quandary is that I am so reluctant to feel certain that I am correct about something. I always feel like there's some part that I don't understand and try to reserve judgement, which tends to preclude anger. I don't mean I do this as an intentional gesture of leniency or whatever, I just feel so incompetent about so much that I don't consider myself to be in a position to say anything. I am learning this is not how everyone feels. Some are very confident they are correct.<div><br></div><div><i>(2014 note: I see here that I used the word Federal in discussing public schools, which are of course state institutions. Oops. Read Federal as Government)</i><br>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>So, initial rant from friend...and a warning that as usual, I'm a bit verbose. Grab a snack & beverage.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text"> Although,
the flag stands for a country where that girl has the right to do that
and her parents have the right to teach them to do it. Ironic...</span></span><br>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a class="uiLinkSubtle" data-ft="{"tn":"N"}" href="http://www.facebook.com/kimba.cloud/posts/3402971440434?comment_id=3465169&offset=0&total_comments=20"><abbr data-utime="1339071159" title="Thursday, June 7, 2012 at 8:12am">June 7 at 8:12am</abbr></a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a class="actorName" data-ft="{"type":35,"tn":";"}" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=1451411444" href="http://www.facebook.com/burzon">Julia K Burzon</a> <span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">Actually,
I strongly object to social pressure to acquiesce to the "under God"
part too. Not sure I have the guts to stand up for it. They may be
putting their respect for military sacrifice 2nd to the right to be free
of religious coercion in tax-funded institutions, something the
sacrifices were made for....</span></span><br>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a class="uiLinkSubtle" data-ft="{"tn":"N"}" href="http://www.facebook.com/kimba.cloud/posts/3402971440434?comment_id=3465179&offset=0&total_comments=20"><abbr data-utime="1339071442" title="Thursday, June 7, 2012 at 8:17am">June 7 at 8:17am</abbr></a> · </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Reiteration from friend and more vehement agreement from her friend that they are offended and that the action shows disrespect to the flag and those who fought and died for our country. Assertion that she should stand and just not say the offending words if necessary, but that she must stand or she is disrespecting the flag/country/military/sacrifices of military families, etc. Invitation for the student & family to relocate.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> </i></span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a class="actorName" data-ft="{"type":35,"tn":";"}" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=1451411444" href="http://www.facebook.com/burzon">Julia K Burzon</a> <span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">Sure,
she doesn't have to say it, but she shouldn't, especially as a child,
be put in a position of having to appear to be disrespectful in order to
boldly object to the inclusion of religious language in a seemingly
mandatory group exercise in a Federal institution (vs. not being noticed
not saying those two words) either. Burning a Bible, Koran, Torah,
Sutra, or whatever seems a lot more extreme than choosing not to stand.
I don't think she would be allowed to do that as any kind of protest in
a Federal area. (?) What if doing THAT <i><span style="font-size: x-small;">[burning a holy text]</span></i> were added to the pledge
because it was politically advantageous? I'm sure we'd see some
vehement sitting then, regardless of the implied disrespect to the
military! ha ha or What if the wording were "NOT under any gods"
instead? I bet that would achieve the same result and there wouldn't be
much arguing about how disrespectful it seems to the military. It
seems easier to ask a minority to stand mute while the majority observes
its religion as part of such a group exercise.<br> <br> Hmmm....I think
the problem is the ambiguity of the action of not standing. It can be
interpreted as disrespect for the believers of the religion or the
military in the case of the pledge, even if the intention is not
disrespect, but simply to draw attention to the need for separation of
church and state. Wasn't the "under God" part was only added in the 50s
(40s?) to further differentiate us from the communists anyway? Why
can't it be let go? Why won't it be let go? It shouldn't be there at
all. I think it's unconscionable to place a child in the position of
having to appear for all practical purposes to endorse a religious
statement in a Federal institution. I think some other means of
patriotic veneration could easily be substituted for the pledge until
the issue is resolved, not that anyone would do that.</span></span><br>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a class="uiLinkSubtle" data-ft="{"tn":"N"}" href="http://www.facebook.com/kimba.cloud/posts/3402971440434?comment_id=3465309&offset=0&total_comments=20"><abbr data-utime="1339075397" title="Thursday, June 7, 2012 at 9:23am">June 7 at 9:23am</abbr></a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a class="actorName" data-ft="{"type":35,"tn":";"}" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=1451411444" href="http://www.facebook.com/burzon">Julia K Burzon</a> <span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">Ooooh!
Competing soapboxes! :) Sorry. Didn't mean to rant at your rant. I
just don't like my kids being in this position either, as I'm not
raising them with a religion.</span></span><br>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>A different friend added her two cents in a very diplomatic way.</i></span><span style="font-size: small;"><abbr data-utime="1339075494" title="Thursday, June 7, 2012 at 9:24am"> </abbr></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> <a class="actorName" data-ft="{"type":35,"tn":";"}" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=1451411444" href="http://www.facebook.com/burzon">Julia K Burzon</a> <span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">So refreshing to have an intelligent, respectful conversation on a touchy topic!</span></span><br>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a class="uiLinkSubtle" data-ft="{"tn":"N"}" href="http://www.facebook.com/kimba.cloud/posts/3402971440434?comment_id=3473936&offset=0&total_comments=20"><abbr data-utime="1339282181" title="Saturday, June 9, 2012 at 6:49pm">Saturday at 6:49pm</abbr></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Concessions that the student does indeed have the right to stand or sit, but given with the caveat that they retain their right to be be offended, which I do not dispute. But further, insistence that the student IS being disrespectful, i.e. that their interpretation of the student's action is correct and that any other is not really acceptable, or rather that then I guess I am worthy of judgement too. Maybe that wasn't intended, but that's how I felt. I felt that by defending the action as acceptable protest that I was rendering myself as worthy of contempt as the protestor and her irresponsible parents. </i></span><span style="font-size: small;"><abbr data-utime="1339282181" title="Saturday, June 9, 2012 at 6:49pm"><br></abbr></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a class="actorName" data-ft="{"type":35,"tn":";"}" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=1451411444" href="http://www.facebook.com/burzon">Julia K Burzon</a> <span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">Please
know that I'm not trying to antagonize anyone. I'd written too much
twice and deleted the posts. ;) But anyway, my main points were: The
principles the US was founded on go back to the Code of Hammurabi and
are not only Judeo-Christian. Some of our most prominent forefathers
were adamant about not having religion as part of the US government,
including Washington, Jefferson, and Hamilton. I think there's evidence
that Washington wasn't even a practicing Christian, not that it matters.
I keep being told how the US was founded as a Christian nation and it
really grates on me because it isn't true.<br> <br> I am confused about
your interpretation of separation of church and state as not meaning you
can't combine the two. Isn't keeping gods out of the government and
its institutions is EXACTLY the point? I am curious as to whether you
would feel as offended by anyone refusing to stand for if the pledge
were worded "one nation under The Prophet Muhhamed, peace be upon him,"?
or under Zeus? or Vishnu? This kid isn't paying to go to a religious
school of a different subgroup than his/her own. People of all and no
religions are paying for the public schools to teach the nation's
children reading, math, science, history (i.e. secular subjects). I have
no objection to discussion and explanation of religion as part of any
of those classes.<br> <br> I think you'll find this article in Wikipedia
interesting. According to it, students can not be made to stand for
the pledge according to the Supreme Court. If this is so, his objection
to the wording of the pledge via sitting is his right under the the
First Amendment of the constitution the flag represents and for which
our relatives and forefathers fought (It's not like I have no connection
here, I have relatives going back to the revolution and who fought in
at least the War of 1812 [we have his sword---SO COOL!], Civil War, and
Korea and maybe more). I disagree that exercising this right shows
disrespect, but assert it is merely nonparticipation. Offense is
premature. We cannot know he is not venerating the flag and the
military that protects our nation in his heart and simply not standing
as an objection to under-God thing. Yes, I get that THIS is what
offends you. He should stand anyway (and stifle his objection to the
unconstitutionality of his situation?). Obviously you have every right
to your opinions and feelings. But I question whose place is it to
judge this person's quality of anyone's patriotism or to enforce that
the only acceptable way to show it is to be part of a public
demonstration. I kind of think this kind of issue applies to how Jesus
said to pray in private (Matthew 6:6). <br> <br> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pledge_of_Allegiance" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/<wbr><span class="word_break"></span>wiki/Pledge_of_Allegiance</a><br> <br> Excerpts:<br>
I<i>n 1943 the Supreme Court reversed its decision, ruling in West
Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette that public school
students are not required to say the Pledge, concluding that "compulsory
unification of opinion" violates the First Amendment.[17] <b> In a
later opinion, the Court held that students are also not required to
stand for the Pledge. </b> [18]<br><br> Requiring or promoting of
the Pledge on the part of the government has drawn criticism and legal
challenges on several grounds... One objection[19] states that a
democratic republic built on freedom of dissent should not require its
citizens to pledge allegiance to it, and that <b> the First
Amendment to the United States Constitution protects one's right to
refrain from speaking or standing (also a form of speech).[18] Another
objection lies in the fact that the people who are most likely to recite
the Pledge every day, small children in schools, cannot really give
their consent or even completely understand the Pledge they are taking.
</b>[20]</i> <i><br><br> The introduction of "under God" in the 1950s was
done during the Cold War, as a way to differentiate the U.S. from the
concept of communist state atheism.[24]</i> </span></span><br>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pledge_of_Allegiance" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pledge of Allegiance - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</a></b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The Pledge of Allegiance of the United States is an expression of loyalty to the<span class="text_exposed_hide">...</span><span class="text_exposed_hide"><span class="text_exposed_link"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6170416303750119762">See More</a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a class="uiLinkSubtle" data-ft="{"tn":"N"}" href="http://www.facebook.com/kimba.cloud/posts/3402971440434?comment_id=3475357&offset=0&total_comments=20"><abbr data-utime="1339317106" title="Sunday, June 10, 2012 at 4:31am">Sunday at 4:31am</abbr></a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a class="actorName" data-ft="{"type":35,"tn":";"}" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=1451411444" href="http://www.facebook.com/burzon">Julia K Burzon</a> <span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">@<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Unnamed Aggressive Friend</span></i>,
I think you're missing the student's/parents point. I'm sure if the
pledge were in its original form the kid would stand right up and so
would the parents. If the pledge venerated some other god, would you
feel standing and reciting all of it but "under Vishnu" or whatever was
an acceptable amount of protest when your child had to hear everyone
else say it as a group every day? Who are we to judge her patriotism?
We don't know what she's thinking. You're really saying that if she
doesn't show it in the way you think she should that she should be
shipped out?</span></span><br>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a class="uiLinkSubtle" data-ft="{"tn":"N"}" href="http://www.facebook.com/kimba.cloud/posts/3402971440434?comment_id=3475361&offset=0&total_comments=20"><abbr data-utime="1339317777" title="Sunday, June 10, 2012 at 4:42am">Sunday at 4:42am</abbr></a> </span><br>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a class="actorName" data-ft="{"type":35,"tn":";"}" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=1451411444" href="http://www.facebook.com/burzon">Julia K Burzon</a> <span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">You'll like this. <a href="http://sausedo.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/comic.jpg" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://sausedo.net/<wbr><span class="word_break"></span>wp-content/uploads/2011/03/<wbr><span class="word_break"></span>comic.jpg</a></span></span><br>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>My friend reiterated that she was entitled to her opinion and that she felt it was disrespectful not to stand, that we would have to agree to disagree and that hers was to be "THE last post" in the thread. She did acknowledge the girl had the right to sit or not and say the words or not, but again, she felt to sit was to disrespect veterans (at the very least). Her friend agreed. I let it go.</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJpGLnPcsy95b1wIOM24KBb3NIm1W4YiYiImHRtCsUNr8JbHvutOSdbCe4a_FIFjQuIVcxLngREEzwYwj2MILKiWIapbSoM0uCaYclEAnKQ2jP9LD5Psl3Qz-9E_Vi6SQpqnfbWLpwdO8/s640/blogger-image--1737179273.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJpGLnPcsy95b1wIOM24KBb3NIm1W4YiYiImHRtCsUNr8JbHvutOSdbCe4a_FIFjQuIVcxLngREEzwYwj2MILKiWIapbSoM0uCaYclEAnKQ2jP9LD5Psl3Qz-9E_Vi6SQpqnfbWLpwdO8/s320/blogger-image--1737179273.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Consequently, we are now at the mall and the kids are in childcare for 2 hours to keep me from selling them. I bought myself the black Starbucks mug I've been coveting for 6 months and picked up the Springsteen and Johnny Cash CDs as well. They will be my summer CDs. I also weighed in 5 lbs heavier than I thought I was, hence the belligerent intake of iced lemon pound cake that I am planning with my chai in my shiny new mug. This after eating my AND my DAUGHTER'S medium waffle fries from Chic-fil-A with, count-em, FOUR servings of Chic-fil-A sauce. "Take that!" says my interior teen, angry and appalled at my physical condition and my age and at having to be a caregiver for others than herself. Take that, body. Take that, wallet. Betray me and you'll be sorry. I'll make you sorry. <br />
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What a brat she is. I need to put her in her place. I can always return the CDs... But can I resist the pound cake? Uncertain. <br />
<br />Julia K Burzonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440379389897118745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170416303750119762.post-13861353932635590072012-06-05T20:03:00.001-04:002012-06-06T00:34:45.574-04:00We saw it!I took the kids to my husband's workplace and was able to view the transit of Venus across the sun with the telescopes of their astronomy club! It was very cloudy, but we were lucky enough to get a couple of breaks in the clouds. I was even able to take some photos with my iPad and then post them immediately to Facebook. Technology is so cool! What a time we live in!<br />
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I am working on a new page of information for new mothers, putting down my favorite products and techniques for survival. Check back soon!<br />
<br />Julia K Burzonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440379389897118745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170416303750119762.post-86756129085673055872012-05-31T17:59:00.001-04:002012-05-31T17:59:15.772-04:00Where is Julie?Sorry to be skimping on the blog lately. I've been working hard on my illustration project and apparently don't have enough oomph to do both consistently. I'll work on that. The key to getting into the illustration seemed to be hanging a good carrot. A friend had asked me to watch the TV series Jericho because it sounded like something I'd like and she had no one to talk to about it and it was driving her crazy. SO, I decided I was only allowed to watch it if I was or had just finished working on my project. Success! Problem is I'm burning through it too fast. What will I use to replace it when I'm done? Suggestions?Julia K Burzonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440379389897118745noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170416303750119762.post-73995135029248009382012-05-16T03:27:00.001-04:002012-05-16T03:33:47.582-04:00Wordless Wednesday: Read a BOOK!<br />
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<br />Julia K Burzonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440379389897118745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170416303750119762.post-91861130070161460062012-05-15T14:22:00.001-04:002012-05-16T03:12:19.272-04:00Taking the Bridge<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglWLNMratwxDHAdLUm8pGl1ixZ86PUyWrVDMAY4KDYy_ZcAsiAbxWxG9INgbKAV8lFCOZa3DoLzajOxW8e86HHYbjgJOGfWvR1mzKZNHE6cSGVjkbuxbAnkqYHGeQCznuiniZO3i3vTdc/s1600/bridges_csg013_chesapeake_bay_bridge-william_preston_lane_jr_memorial_bridge-300x225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglWLNMratwxDHAdLUm8pGl1ixZ86PUyWrVDMAY4KDYy_ZcAsiAbxWxG9INgbKAV8lFCOZa3DoLzajOxW8e86HHYbjgJOGfWvR1mzKZNHE6cSGVjkbuxbAnkqYHGeQCznuiniZO3i3vTdc/s1600/bridges_csg013_chesapeake_bay_bridge-william_preston_lane_jr_memorial_bridge-300x225.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://blog.measurableadvancement.com/?tag=bridge-phobia</span></td></tr>
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<b>Counseling appointment today:</b> I need to attack my illustration-block the same way a bridge-phobic conquers going over the Bay Bridge. I need to suffuse myself in it. That means going back to Freshman Chemistry (where my to-be-boyfriend-husband carried me down the stairs to our freshman basement study lounge against my will and locked me down there with my materials because I was procrastinating studying so badly). <br />
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I have my desk clear. All I have to do is commence, starting tonight. I will touch the project EVERY day until it is done. I will enlist my husband in propelling me to the desk each night. I don't like it but trying to deal with it as usual is not working. I am to be very soothing and talk comfortingly to myself to get past the initial anxiety, which is what I have been avoiding. Once I am started I do fine. Once it is part of a routine I'll progress rapidly, I think. <br />
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<i><b>Also</b></i> I need to lower my caffeine intake so that I will stop staying up until 3:00AM reading and eating frozen raspberries with sugar.Julia K Burzonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440379389897118745noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170416303750119762.post-92077539110112117522012-05-14T12:39:00.001-04:002012-05-16T03:07:42.633-04:00Social Media & Loneliness<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRVSyD7YGbBTMVX_H_FAp9Fd8lPAYTeRl1prPYGJhaKTRfn9NS-zwJGARx3EOCl7XH-0JiH44CrhPTKmQafHmQ8TeVw1WxVAtSFBm3-OmzHClJX2lPf0KjwgoXddWnJWv0h-5t9qXMByk/s1600/duty_calls.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRVSyD7YGbBTMVX_H_FAp9Fd8lPAYTeRl1prPYGJhaKTRfn9NS-zwJGARx3EOCl7XH-0JiH44CrhPTKmQafHmQ8TeVw1WxVAtSFBm3-OmzHClJX2lPf0KjwgoXddWnJWv0h-5t9qXMByk/s320/duty_calls.png" width="290" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/something-is-wrong-on-the-internet/</span></td></tr>
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Today's Diane Rehm Show (2nd hour) is a discussion of the role of social media in the so-called US "epidemic" of loneliness. I am listening to it and typing as I go, noting some of the main points. The premise asks why we are expecting more of technology and less from personal contact in this time of social media (Facebook, Twitter, text messaging). <br />
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I'm hearing arguments, said to be supported by studies, on both sides: social media help users be more social vs. it makes users less social. Mainly they're talking about Facebook (FB); they said 40% of Americans have a FB page. <br />
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The view that seems correct to me is that you get out of it what you get into it. Most people interact intensely with a few people and then more weakly with the rest of your FB "friends". Yes, that rings true for me. Here's a new acronym for you: FEOMO = Fear Of Missing Out. This refers to how we're always "on" and always performing, when using social media. It is more pervasive if you use a art phone and are then constantly plugged into social media. <br />
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What is the importance of real conversation? Do "little sips of online conversation add up to a big gulp" of social interaction? One guest insists the answer is no. <br />
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One caller does not blame FB for his or her loneliness, but that being plugged into the day to day success of successful peers seems to exacerbate the person's feelings even if one knows what is posted is likely more sunny than reality. A guest notes that "Vanity was not invented with FB," that what's new is its relentlessness. You spend time continuously keeping up your public persona and competing with those of others. It's keeping up with the Joneses on steroids. I agree that there is pressure to present yourself in your profile as the person you want to be, or be seen as. But for me the profile at least is mostly set it and forget it. The upkeep is in posting about your thoughts, events, life. <br />
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There is an opinion that only face to face contact fulfills the biological need for social contact. Though one guest maintains that data shows that people that are more social online are more social offline and vice versa. I don't know. I suppose that's probably true, but I know that I definitely have transferred most of my communications from more personal contact to being online. A guest called this the Goldilocks Effect, where you keep people at a distance, not to far, not too close, just right. Someone said he had no more colleagues in his office anymore because he likes to do everything on his Blackberry, even communicating with the person<br />
In the office next door to his. <br />
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Have we lost real solitude? The academic guest is big on what she calls the "I share therefore I am culture." There is a compulsion to connect. Is it an addiction? You see people frantically on their smart phones "at stoplights and in checkout lines." She says that so many teens now are constituting the self as "I want to have a feeling, i need to send a text," not the other way around and that this is facilitated by social media. <br />
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Again the guest on the other side insists that users do see some FB friends in real life and that it can promote or facilitate these face to face interactions. I guess, some...not so much for me on a day to day basis i do use it to get together with certain long-distance old friends once a year or so <br />
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Regarding the relatively high amount of "action and drama online," they say this is displacing TV. Is that good? Again, the consensus was that TV is what you put into it. If you watch tv as a group it can be very interactive. Media is not separate from its context. <br />
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A caller reminds us to define our terms. How is "connected" defined now vs. in the 80s and 90s? A guest asserts that a "connection is distinct from a bond." One guest says that connections are being made at the cost of bonds. The other reiterates that e-connections are not replacing face to face connections per her data. I agree that some people can be less lonely by hearing more frequently from dispersed loved ones. But a guest says that there is something people are not getting and that's the give and take and skills of conversation. There are anecdotes on both sides. There is the kid who wanted to learn "at some point, but certainly not now, how to have a real conversation," and also the possible link between social media use and narcissism. Apparently they correlate quite strongly. But it is noted that "narcissism is rising everywhere--look at TV." <br />
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One caller is a retired social worker. Her opinion is that we don't have physical contact we used to have even with a real voice on the phone. Remember social media leave out a segment of our population (those without access to computer, older folks with arthritis, the blind, etc.). Her experience is that people are missing that. Again it comes<br />
Back to whether one is using it to set up face to face connections? If not, then sure, you might be more lonely. <br />
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A caller said when he was in school in the 1960s they were reading about the increase in loneliness because of increasing suburbs and making your house your castle and only having to go out for shopping runs. <br />
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What is our "capacity for solitude?" Are Americans are losing it? Constant texting, profiling, texting, checking, is an increasing FOMO and eroding our capacity for solitude. Without this, you are never just alone anymore. If you are alone, you are lonely. <br />
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For any who are interested, there is a UCLA loneliness quiz on drshow.org.Julia K Burzonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440379389897118745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170416303750119762.post-61912385983155217502012-05-12T00:53:00.000-04:002012-05-12T00:53:18.957-04:00Two Father's Days Instead<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I had comments and replies with a good friend over my school fundraising rant and got to talk with her and one of the main powers behind my daughter's Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) today. Boy did I feel like a jerk. Although, actually, I kind of expected to have more people rake me over the coals, I do have some teacher friends. Maybe they're too angry. I got the teacher appreciation week thing cleared-up, my daughter was to bring an item each day for her homeroom teacher and whatever special she had for that day, so two items, not seven. BIG difference. I wonder why I just assumed that my understanding, though it seemed over the top to me, was correct? It's not like I couldn't've called my friend to check.... I just jumped straight to feeling put out. I guess I feel so out of step with regular non-narcissistic moms that I can't judge what's a realistic expectation of parental participation.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
So I'm talking to these way-plugged-in moms this afternoon about the school and the PTO and all of that and found out that our school office HAS NO PAPER. I mean, I knew they had a wish list for stuff and all, but I just didn't get it that the straits were that dire! That is OUTRAGEOUS! Apparently also in the past teachers hadn't gotten their regular pay increases for seniority or cost-of-living increases or any payout into their retirement accounts for, like, years and finally one year stopped doing anything that was not strictly in their contract. Sort of an altruism strike. They actually did only what they were paid for and things changed and I think they got some of the money they were owed. So I wondered aloud what if the PTO, which seems to be about eight parents with precious little additional help, just stopped doing what it does. What would happen? I think this should be figured out and told to the school community. Say these eight get tired of working so hard and being under-appreciated, not that that's why they do it, but it doesn't help you want to continue, that they just quit? I don't think people realize that this would mean no office supplies for the office, no bulbs for the smartboards (the county won't maintain them because apparently the school is "too old" for them or something), and other critical items like that. I sure didn't. The problem is, to make it so parents don't have to spend so much time fundraising for <i>essentials</i>, it would probably take something like that.<br />
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No paper. Unbelievable.<br />
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We parents need to see the actual school budget (vs. the PTO budget, two different animals) and see how much they get and where it goes. Then we need to know how to make it change. There is money, it's just going to more vocal and influential interests. This is unacceptable, and we have a blue-ribbon school. What about the schools that aren't so great?<br />
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So we're talking and I'm feeling all interested in helping and had to keep reminding myself that I can't get stuff done I'm already beholden to do, I can't go adding stuff! Maybe just a little tiny bit. I like helping. I've been out of touch with that, but I really do, when doing it doesn't feel like it's going to topple my world. You know, like when I'm rational. Talking to actual grown-up people, turns out, like this afternoon, helps a lot with the being rational thing. As long as I'm not feeling paranoid that I'm being judged and found lacking. The more exposure I have to real people, the more they might realize and <i>I</i> might realize that I'm way under par. I think I'm afraid of that. <br />
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My daughter is now old enough that my neuroses and mood swings and lack of function embarrass and hurt her, like not having kids over because I'm embarrassed about the condition of the house, which is a result of my not doing my job. Hell, Mother's Day is Sunday and she's all excited about having a surprise for me. I just feel terrible. Like we should just skip it because I've been so cranky and mean and just <i>not good</i> this year, especially to her. My husband said some time ago that it was obvious that I favor my son and that my daughter pushes all my buttons and I'm less patient with her. He's just always been easier on me. He's more laid back, he was my second so I wasn't so afraid (I was actually terrified of my newborn infant daughter), he wasn't colicky, and he's only three. She's six and opinionated and stubborn and difficult and brilliant and desperate to be in charge. Oh, and bossy. Gee, I wonder where ever that could have come from....? I'd thought I was being pretty even-handed and hiding how difficult it was. Guess not so much. I wonder if I will finally be less in love with my son when he's her age? I was in love with her like I am with him up through age three. Maybe his obnoxiousness is on the horizon.<br />
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I thought I had all this love and energy and purpose to share with my children. That's why I wanted them. Now I feel used-up all the time and I'm not even hardly doing anything more than what is absolutely required to keep social services at bay. I'd never unwish them into being. NEVER. But I am not sure having kids was a good choice for me, in hindsight. They're wonderful, but I am.... The price has been very high. See? We should skip Mother's Day. My husband deserves two Father's Days instead. Julia K Burzonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440379389897118745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170416303750119762.post-34801074304371841692012-05-10T23:01:00.001-04:002012-05-10T23:04:14.552-04:00Procrastination Continues...<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOcJyL0OrHz7RbORHdG8zsgR97-Dt3P5kUr6kDfU8nD1Yzpw-WWGMn6J380_4vooHmpukD9NmwayeQbOeOK6KkY2nfRRMroLrMU3x-pEFS7QW9-TAzu9jEJ7Wl_NkB35dISjHureXt6Tk/s1600/procrastination-flowchart-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOcJyL0OrHz7RbORHdG8zsgR97-Dt3P5kUr6kDfU8nD1Yzpw-WWGMn6J380_4vooHmpukD9NmwayeQbOeOK6KkY2nfRRMroLrMU3x-pEFS7QW9-TAzu9jEJ7Wl_NkB35dISjHureXt6Tk/s320/procrastination-flowchart-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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It's late Thursday night and I still haven't cleared the Christmas ornaments off my big desk downstairs so I have a dedicated work surface for my illustration. I didn't get even remotely close to considering tackling that today. I was supposed to give a nature walk today for the Mothers Of Preschoolers (MOPS) group I have been a member of for some six years now. Nobody showed. This was actually OK because I couldn't bring myself to go there ahead of time or prepare (knowing there were no real acceptances on the evite) yesterday. I could've winged it without too much stress and elected to do that if necessary. Last night I fell asleep on the floor next to my son's mattress (we trundle his crib mattress under his sister's bed; neither likes to sleep alone) and didn't wake to take my meds until 3:30AM or so. Then I had trouble falling back asleep.<br />
<a name='more'></a>I dreamed until dragged from sleep to get my daughter's snack ready for school and assemble bags of candy for her required teacher-gratitude assignment. Then I dove back into bed and let my son watch <i>My Little Pony</i> until the last possible moment when I then dragged myself from being horizontal and grudgingly and groggily got our butts to the natural area in Annapolis. We did our little walk anyway. Found a box turtle. So that was cool. It would've gone fine; as I'd assumed, there was plenty to ooh and ah over on the little walk. <br />
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So now my weeklong/monthlong task falls to tomorrow. Maybe I'll get enough sleep to not feel so drugged tomorrow morning. Oh, also I got a caffeine headache this afternoon and bailed on making dinner or basically doing anything. I'm batting a thousand. My daughter said, "Mommy, if we go downstairs and give you some time alone do you think you might feel better?" I have no patience when I'm tired, sick, depressed, anxious, etc. and it is very obvious. I need to find the will to try again to be my best me. I think I've stopped trying because the world didn't end once I did so....I don't know if I can go back.Julia K Burzonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440379389897118745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170416303750119762.post-35623116511854092762012-05-08T23:12:00.001-04:002012-05-08T23:49:59.974-04:00Wordless Wednesday: Cutting Through<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaaD53yHEavcbIcEffXJalsw72XIVJSs-_D9Olj5RxAvErZzFjS5K8CwPcxKwEoPdDuspjay-0mBn-CNeOoP4W7eNpN7EYpKGmBm-LLmSYN3Ced67N5o16ssS7eSLJv31EseYvknWyZTs/s640/blogger-image-1966097293.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="337" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaaD53yHEavcbIcEffXJalsw72XIVJSs-_D9Olj5RxAvErZzFjS5K8CwPcxKwEoPdDuspjay-0mBn-CNeOoP4W7eNpN7EYpKGmBm-LLmSYN3Ced67N5o16ssS7eSLJv31EseYvknWyZTs/s400/blogger-image-1966097293.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">JB. 2012. Chalk Pastel: Prefrontal cortex plants paper bag over <br />raging & luminous inner self. Inner self fights for release.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Julia K Burzonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440379389897118745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170416303750119762.post-15615734864268763382012-05-07T16:17:00.001-04:002012-05-09T13:07:05.957-04:00And Then Again...Every X Is Sacred...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxihfFrVzIfbQjoaNpA6D0_J_XWgZWlaS5wLJ3zOPrQpVQ5fS02udRdm_JFkvv8Es5wShSSQnpY1-AcR4tZxGHV3m0s99TkMzlPRy1UqlyXEVkRTCnxwPKQkvcvu8W8EUyMSfm2Esz5AM/s1600/index.Mark+Trail+Deer+Overpopulation2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxihfFrVzIfbQjoaNpA6D0_J_XWgZWlaS5wLJ3zOPrQpVQ5fS02udRdm_JFkvv8Es5wShSSQnpY1-AcR4tZxGHV3m0s99TkMzlPRy1UqlyXEVkRTCnxwPKQkvcvu8W8EUyMSfm2Esz5AM/s400/index.Mark+Trail+Deer+Overpopulation2.gif" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.ncbowhunter.com/old_web/Comics.htm</span></td></tr>
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Boy was I in a terrible mood when last I ranted at you. I really did feel that way though, and likely would again if I reread it now, but now I also feel a good bit chagrined because I am pretty sure that I probably really offended some friends of mine who then may not return to read this post. Sigh. <br />
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I went without really giving weight to the "well DUH" side, except to chastise myself as a hypocrite. I was all about my own individual self who wanted no additional requirements at the expense of the individuals who would be the recipients of the gap between what is budgeted for public schools and what is needed to give the level of instruction students really deserve and that we expect. How convenient. <br />
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Not to excuse this, but it occurred to me this afternoon that there is an unexpected link between this subject and my former work life in wildlife management. <br />
<a name='more'></a>That link is the parallel that can be drawn between wildlife managers tasked with managing an ecosystem and their sometimes conflict with animal rights organizations such PETA or a Humane Society. Managers may find that the needed action that benefits the habitat and species at the population level is to control the population of a particular species that is impacting the area's natural resources more than it would in an undisturbed and balanced ecosystem. An overpopulation of deer, for example, may be over-browsing a forest habitat in an area where large predators like wolves and mountain lions have long since been exterminated. This degrades the habitat, reducing cover and food for other species and may result in die-offs of species or abandonment of the area by other species, leaving even more vacant ecological niches and further throwing the ecosystem out of balance. A typical solution for this problem is to cull a certain number of deer in order to bring the population back down to a level the ecosystem can support without degradation. This means allowing a certain number of hunters to shoot a certain number of deer with an appropriate weapon as decided by the local authority. Individuals are arbitrarily selected and taken out to benefit the population despite the impact on the lives of those to be killed. <br />
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On the population level, this action accomplishes the goal of bringing things back into balance, but it means the extinguishment of a certain number of individuals. Enter the animal rights organizations. These people are concerned about the fate of the individual animals that would be killed. It is human nature to favor the individual over an unknown group. Admittedly, for those individuals to be sacrificed, the plan would not be an improvement for their particular individual health! But if they are not impacted (i.e. those arbitrarily chosen individuals are not killed and removed from the population) the overall health of the entire population is at risk as is the quality of the habitat for other species. It seems to me that this runs parallel to the reason for public school fundraising. The choice to favor the individual hurts the population. Granted, each year monies donated may enhance the learning of one or several years of individual students, but the overall problem degrading the schools and hurting our teachers remains unaddressed. The band aid helps for a short time but doesn't fix the problem and plans are made for next year's fundraisers because we now depend on them. <br />
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So what, are the deer to volunteer to be shot in order to aid the larger group? Of course not, and the cull will take out both healthy and young and old and sick alike, not like the natural predators that would have taken only the weak and sick out of the population. Of course no one wants their child to be affected negatively by any management choice in the school system. Like I said, "well, DUH." if the community can help the school and themselves (either because they care about a student or gain advertising visibility), of course they will. <br />
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So what do we do? The managers may gripe about having to deal with the animal rights people and also about having to arrange the culling. It's not the fault of any of those involved that back in the day the uninvited foreign settlers didn't want their kids and animals taken by wolves, right? (Don't even get me started on the outrageous treatment of the Native American nations.) If the animal rights group were there then they would have demonstrated against the extermination of the wolves I suppose. The settlers wouldn't have appreciated that. <br />
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So I don't know. It's not like I can actually expect school fundraising to stop and force administrative change by showing the ridiculous gap between what public schools need and what they get, but I worry that it's never going to get fixed and the deer are going to get less and less and less fit, I mean, the quality of American schools is going to continue to rest on the backs of individual and unpredictable contributions from students' families. Can't things at least be restructured so that the money given in fundraising efforts by the community is simply collected en masse at the beginning of the school year as some kind of user fee? I suppose there would still be parents doing fundraisers to help get something they don't have. Maybe then though when you paid your user fee you could opt out (or not) of that year's campaigns? I think that's what would suit me best.Julia K Burzonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440379389897118745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170416303750119762.post-2610330667770368792012-05-05T12:24:00.001-04:002012-05-08T23:40:57.266-04:00LONG RANT: Really? Am I that selfish? Sigh. Yep.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8QQBRUUAEE8hP3aHG7n_5q90aOHyHxvLixfBi_ZigiDXZ7oYj-Xv5y7r0pDyMvco2PKoEkYYlYI93DeYJ1RvUwh6b9suFhdb7VxH8ZbB88yrGBUpAhNY8uAsxfCZMSE31-ssms_oP8kw/s1600/school-fundraiser-image1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8QQBRUUAEE8hP3aHG7n_5q90aOHyHxvLixfBi_ZigiDXZ7oYj-Xv5y7r0pDyMvco2PKoEkYYlYI93DeYJ1RvUwh6b9suFhdb7VxH8ZbB88yrGBUpAhNY8uAsxfCZMSE31-ssms_oP8kw/s320/school-fundraiser-image1.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://theodoylerules.com/2010/04/30/stop-school-fundraising-now/</span></td></tr>
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I can sum up this post in two words:<br />
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I suck. <br />
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First, I am having a problem with my emotions not agreeing to be OK with the decisions made by my executive functions. <br />
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Saturday was my day off for years. But this spring my daughter is doing soccer. My husband is coaching. He is an excellent father. They have games on Saturday mornings. This means that I need to watch my three-year-old son and we should obviously attend the games and cheer our team. Fine. I say that's OK and agreed that Sunday could be my morning to sleep in. Fine. I really am intellectually OK with this. It's completely fair. Well, my emotional self is not. She is resentful and annoyed and sulky. When it means she has to get up early, she is angry. She resents the intrusion into the pattern that she was happy with. I don't like her. I try to reject these emotions but that is not making them go away. <br />
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Second, separately, my husband and I had a large and somewhat heated discussion over the incredibly stupid plight of public school teachers in the US. They are expected to reach goals not attainable with the budgeted funds they are given. So, as would be the case of people whose job is a vocation and who are unwilling to sacrifice the education of a generation of Americans to show just how little can be accomplished with the inadequate funding, and perhaps force change, they supplement the budget at their own personal expense. Administrations have parent organizations that are mainly fundraising groups. This leads to social pressure for the kids to bring in certain amounts of money for class pride and also to win prizes. My daughter's school Parent-Teacher-Organization is really exceptional at doing this. They raise significant amounts of money to support the school and everyone is very grateful to them for their efforts. <br />
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And here's where I suck: I resent being pressured to participate and give more money than our taxes to support the school. I want the price of education to be up front and then I want to be left alone. I am happy to participate in field trips or to give presentations on areas where I might have specialized experience, or to contribute needed items if it would be helpful, but I resent being pressured/guilted/"encouraged" to contribute more money via my kids (i.e. fundraising projects requiring sponsors or selling things). Maybe it is a having-problems-with-authority thing? Maybe I resent the assumed authority of the PTO and their assumption that I acknowledge their authority to goad my family into guilting people (who already pay taxes for this or other schools) to give money that the schools should have anyway because it's not right that they don't. I don't mind purchasing items they need on my own and donating things of my own accord, which I've done, but I really resent pressure or expectations to participate in fundraising events...or really ANYthing. Just tell me up front and I'll pay. Then leave me alone. <br />
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Now this is where my husband remarked on my selfishness, (see the part about how I suck): I do not want to be pestered to give extra support to people who have elected of their own will to do more than they are being paid to do. I know that sounds terrible because their sacrifice is helping people. But teachers know what they are getting into when they decide to become teachers in the US. We ALL know they are underfunded and disrespected and that this is wrong. But instead of showing the US people that what they expect from the way things are is ridiculous and unattainable with current budgets, which would involve cheating a generation of Americans from the education we think they should get and for which we do all this fundraising, the altruists give more than they should. Then we are expected to make up for it and congratulate ourselves even though the total is still inadequate. The American people don't get it, that you can't get blood from a stone, because they don't have to! Look, I am willing to pay more up front than we do for education so that schools can have what they need and teachers can be paid a competitive wage. But I do not want to be expected to use my personal time and effort to attempt to bridge the gap between what is possible with current funds and what is needed or expected or wished for later in the year. <br />
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Of course, the fact that this is all theoretical and that I don't want to sacrifice MY kids' education to prove the point, means I am a huge hypocrite (see the part where I suck). If the PTO didn't do the fundraising the students would suffer and who wants that? Obviously what has been attempted to fix the problem doesn't work. Having school funding tied to property taxes is a terrible idea. My husband told me Finland decide to make all their schools equal across the entire country and to pay their teachers much more. Now its harder to get into teaching programs at their colleges than pre-med. He said this resulted in huge improvements in student performance. But why was this change made? Because the schools were failing so badly they couldn't sit back and let it go. We aren't willing to fail badly enough to force change. <br />
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Third, we got a note to parents Friday that the school is having a teacher appreciation week and that our child will be expected to finish an assignment each day that shows how much we appreciate all the teachers do. I fumed. I resented this intensely (see the part where I suck). To me there is something wrong with telling people how their children are going to be expected to (required by social pressure) show their (assumed) gratitude. Perhaps they are trying to teach gratitude? Is that in the curriculum? Who are the PTO to impose this additional requirement? Not that it isn't a nice idea. <br />
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And not that I do not appreciate that my daughter has an exceptional teacher. She does. I love this woman. She amazes me and I am ecstatic with my daughter's experience this year. But I absolutely resent this all being assumed and along with that we want to express our gratitude in the way someone else has decided it shall be done. I don't want myself or my kid to do this stuff just on principle, not because I don't respect teachers and the sacrifices they make! Please don't assume that. I do think they are horribly underpaid and that it is wrong that their MOST important profession is not given the respect it deserves. I just don't like organized gratitude "assignments."<br />
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I want to do what I want how I want OR NOT on my own. You know, some of us are not functioning on the level of being willing or able to take on something extra just because someone has decided that we should and undoubtedly will, because obviously anyone who wouldn't is a terrible person. Things that seem inconsequentially little to some are not so little to others and it's not anyone's place to judge that. <br />
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I want to be left the hell alone. I don't have anything extra to give, not that anyone asked. I am barely holding on as it is. I don't need extra pressure to do even the tiniest bit more, nor does my kid need to feel inadequate because her mom sucks. <br />
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So that's the thrust of it. I do kind of feel like the above may not necessarily make me the embodiment of pure evil. <br />
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But, as an aside, fourth, since I'm being honest here, as far as guilt over being a selfish person goes, really the most embarrassing part is that this resentment of any intrusion into my life also extends to kids' birthday parties, mine and others'. I HATE them. I don't really mind paying for a gift, but getting one is inconvenient and and the bite out of the weekend messes up what I might've wanted to do and driving them there and back is a pain that I resent. Then the kids come home with a bag of worthless crap (that I guarantee the parents throwing the party didn't want to put together in the first place). The very selfish part of me that got me through nearly fatal anxiety and depression by making sure I expended the least amount of energy beyond what was required for survival, ensured pretty much all I had went into absolute requirements. But it has no place here anymore. I can't deny my kids going to other kids birthday parties! Please!<br />
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Ugh. I need to get back to functioning like a normal human. This trait that was helpful and adaptive means that I don't RSVP when I should, when I know better and have the decency to be mortified about it. It's like I posted yesterday, the short term benefit (procrastination allowing me to proceed as if I did not just receive an extra thing to have to do) outweighs the long term every time even the result embarrasses me. <br />
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I just suck. I am extremely selfish and a hypocrite and I know it. I don't like this person. Though I wonder if some of it is innate...apparently when I was a kid I used to yell at people to "Neev me anone! Neev me anone!" (I didn't say Ls for a while and substituted Ns). My parents didn't get involved with our school activities other than attending games or writing checks, but we were at a private school and the tuition was bad enough. I sold magazines for a year or two for high school, but then I stopped and I got no pressure about it. I don't know. My parents always gave money to charities, but didn't volunteer for stuff, which was because my Mom had MS and didn't do extra stuff with people if she could help it. My dad worked very hard every day and could hardly have been expected to do more (in my opinion). Also, he's an introvert, as am I, and there should be no negative judgement on that. So maybe I resent this all because we never had to do it and I thought that was normal. But I am really not inclined to place any of this in the nurture category. <br />
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I really just need my executive functions, my adult who is me, to stop hanging back, to take charge again and tell the whiny self-absorbed teen me to shut up. Hello?! I am talking to YOU, little Miss I-can-write-all-about-this-but-won't-step-up-and-take-charge. Freakin' step UP and stop making me such an ass!Julia K Burzonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440379389897118745noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170416303750119762.post-56576896148225655002012-05-04T23:25:00.000-04:002012-05-06T09:07:59.416-04:00Why Do I Keep Choosing The Short-term Payoff?It's looking like I need to rein in my petulant inner teenager. I was really a pretty good teen at the time, no major rebellions or anything. But now, I am finding that the force that kept me alive during the worst of my anxiety and depression is not terribly willing to be relegated to the role of passenger after having that taste of being the driver.<br />
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It seems like in almost every situation of short-term vs. long-term gain, the short-term gain is chosen even before things are really thought through. The teenager, in league with my lizard brain, pounces on any present comfort, completely disregarding the effect of this choice on future outcomes. For this reason, for example, I am having a terrible time working on the illustration project I've promised to do because I have to get my stuff together, find a clear place or clear a place, and print out some pictures before starting. This is all too much for me to make myself do, apparently... so far. Which is, of course, ridiculous. In short, my Christmas tree ornaments are scattered all over my big desk and I have been unwilling to deal with putting them away in order to get started. That and printing out the pictures involves my bringing my laptop downstairs and plugging it into the printer. It sounds so ridiculous! <br />
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But, in the thick of depression and anxiety, it was this ability to seize any opportunity for rest and revitalization (i.e. NOT using them to put away Christmas ornaments) to renew myself is what kept me going. NOW, this behavior is no longer adaptive, but, I am finding, nearly impossible to countermand. Every weekend I swear I will clean off the desk and every weekend I don't get to it. I must not really want to do it. Of course I don't. I want it DONE, but I don't want to do it. Big surprise.<br />
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Any tips for wrangling your inner anarchist/reptile brain/rebellious teen?<br />
It's not like I don't know how to do good time management. I used to be excellent at it.<br />
Friends call me for advice on how to get the stuff done they need to and I help THEM.<br />
I just can't seem to make myself take my own medicine. I don't want to let the grown-up me back in charge. Then it'll be work work work all the time and no more fun. That's what I'm hearing inside.<br />
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:PJulia K Burzonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440379389897118745noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170416303750119762.post-86121694524424136502012-05-02T23:09:00.000-04:002012-05-04T23:34:22.856-04:00Wordless Wednesday: Magic Tree<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2W0GUjmjeFOsjvQ3Z2JWfxpAzwL7HcrIkbajga8fbnqGUOvO8O_CO3tA8n2YJl5dNV52nbah87zqbesJHQBy1E8X-wOdpPaQCoyfEGlCscVpDqnY158VWCk7VWkTJFdnmAJ9iZyEOw4/s1600/magic-tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2W0GUjmjeFOsjvQ3Z2JWfxpAzwL7HcrIkbajga8fbnqGUOvO8O_CO3tA8n2YJl5dNV52nbah87zqbesJHQBy1E8X-wOdpPaQCoyfEGlCscVpDqnY158VWCk7VWkTJFdnmAJ9iZyEOw4/s400/magic-tree.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">http://img.phombo.com/img1/photocombo/2315/magic-tree.jpg</td></tr>
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<br />Julia K Burzonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440379389897118745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170416303750119762.post-13873842169970469492012-05-01T10:51:00.001-04:002012-05-04T22:41:47.262-04:00There Are No Original Stories, ReallyI have now finished reading all of Stephanie Meyer's novels, including <i>The Short Second Life of Bree</i> <i>Tanner</i> and <i>The Hos</i>t. The main thing these seem to have in common with <i>The Hunger Games</i> trilogy is that the pacing is set by having almost every event that develops the plot be a life or death choice. <br />
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I've been thinking some about characters of my own. I really feel like I could write something like these if I could come up with a premise that would generate that kind of plot development. Something where all the events lead to development of the self while also being choices that are crucial to maintaining the life of the character. <br />
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That is the hard part. The premise. <i>THG</i> has the main character's survival dependent on her own resourcefulness. Then she becomes the involuntary symbol of the resistance against the government where she is suddenly responsible for the lives and deaths of many many people. In the <i>Twilight</i> novels the main character, a master predator, falls in love with a prey item that is specifically and uniquely extra-attractive to him alone. In <i>The Host</i>, human lives are at stake when they are captured to become hosts for a parasite species that takes over their body and consciousness. Then the parasite protagonist's life is in danger from the strength of her host's resistance and later from the group of humans she joins. Then there are also love interests and angst and joy and pain from these added into the mix. This is why these novels fly off the shelves. <br />
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So now to come up with a premise that I can use my strengths to create...something that is not vampires, werewolves, post-apocalyptic gladiator matches, or alien bodysnatchers. What does that leave us? Hmmmm...Julia K Burzonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440379389897118745noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170416303750119762.post-74132486974235253532012-04-26T16:46:00.001-04:002012-04-27T11:07:55.771-04:00Tell Me More (NPR) Twitter PoetryI enjoy listening to NPR's Tell Me More with Michel Martin. They are doing a fun segment on tweet-sized poetry. You can send them your own poems by adding the hash tag #TMMPoetry<br />
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Here are a few I cranked out yesterday:<br />
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Perfect love in books, on screens.<br />
Beautiful people, happy endings.<br />
I crunch my ice. #TMMPoetry<br />
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My love, not a supermodel, is everything else.<br />
I am also imperfect, unacceptably so to myself. <br />
How amazing, what he overlooks! #tmmpoetry<br />
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Green light shines on childhood from through pines.<br />
I relive the sounds, scents, the raucousness of play; watching from my car. #tmmpoetry<br />
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The novel ended, friends trapped within.<br />
I miss your lives, thoughts, hearts. Author, don't leave me here. Write another! #TMMPoetryJulia K Burzonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440379389897118745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6170416303750119762.post-74910645302513744642012-04-25T16:38:00.000-04:002012-04-27T11:05:22.404-04:00Wordless Wednesday: Dryad Tree<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYiOn7YiWcjLG9Guyc4rowZHSSjWz0O8GrFNZ-gunnv13-6Bg0TaPtOM36Rp76S9K2hVz9tyW-xKbraNFWOhcC6a4n6nyqj77-pakTQTjV5YEvPW8T9gBPO8UpipAY7fednJwHA7T2XC8/s640/blogger-image-776060389.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYiOn7YiWcjLG9Guyc4rowZHSSjWz0O8GrFNZ-gunnv13-6Bg0TaPtOM36Rp76S9K2hVz9tyW-xKbraNFWOhcC6a4n6nyqj77-pakTQTjV5YEvPW8T9gBPO8UpipAY7fednJwHA7T2XC8/s640/blogger-image-776060389.jpg" /></a></div>Julia K Burzonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01440379389897118745noreply@blogger.com0Starbucks 3059 Solomons Island Road, Mayo38.942182 -76.561289